Long-term outcomes after open reduction and internal fixation of bicondylar tibial plateau fractures

•The long-term results and functional outcome after operative treatment of bicondylar tibial plateau fractures have not been widely studied.•Contributing to the difficulty in choosing the optimal management is the lack of validated patient-reported outcome measures.•To establish normative data, long-term patient-reported functional outcome and health-related quality of life (HrQoL). To establish normative data, long-term patient-reported functional outcome and health-related quality of life (HrQoL) after operative treatment of bicondylar tibial plateau fractures. Secondly, to identify risk factors associated with functional outcome and HrQoL. We performed a retrospective cohort study at two Level I trauma centers. All adult patients with AO/OTA 41-C or Schatzker V/ VI tibial plateau fractures treated between 2001 and 2016 (n = 450) by open reduction internal fixation (ORIF). The survey was completed by 214 patients (48%). Primary outcome was patient-reported functional outcome assessed with the PROMIS Physical Function (PROMIS PF). Secondary outcomes were HrQoL measured with the EuroQol 5-Dimensions 3-Levels (EQ-5D-3 L), infection rate, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) rate. Infection occurred in 26 cases (12%) and TKA was performed in 6 patients (3%). The median PROMIS PF scores was 49.8 (IQR;42–54). The median EQ-5D-3 L was 0.83 (IQR;0.78–1.0).%). The multivariable regression model revealed female gender, diabetes, and worse HrQoL were correlated with worse functional outcome. The multivariable regression model revealed smoking, diabetes, and the subsequent need for TKA to be correlated with worse HrQoL. The PROMIS PF and EQ-5D-3L did not reach a minimum clinically important difference. The PROMIS PF items revealed patients had no difficulty in walking more than a mile or climbing a flight of stairs. However, patients were limited in doing vigorous activities and patients should be counseled about the expected long-term outcomes. This study emphasizes the correlation between injury specific functional outcome measures and general health measures. Therapeutic Level III.