Abstract: Abstract Objective: To study comparatively the clinic outcomes of the treatment of the complicated proximal tibial fractures by the less invasive stabilization system (LISS) or the anatomical plate. Methods: From July 2002 to December 2008, 58 consecutive patients which beared the high energy and complicated proximal tibial fractures were treated with the LISS or anatomical plate. The anatomical plate group has 32 patients. There were 21 males and 11 females, with the average age of 41.2 years (range, 23 to 68 years). The type of AO/OTA concluded the A2 of 5 cases, A3 of 9 cases，C2 of 16 cases and C3 of 2 cases. The LISS plate group has 26 patients. There were 16 males and 10 females, with the average age of 41.5 years (range, 21 to 61 years). The type of AO/OTA concluded the A2 of 4 cases, A3 of 7 cases，C2 of 13 cases and C3 of 2 cases. All patients were followed for 12 to 18 months. Outcomes were assessed by recording the surgical experience, post-operative complications and improvements in knee function as measured by the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) scores. Results: No differences in the fracture type, mean age, gender distribution were observed between the two groups. The surgical time, wound size, blood loss and HSS scores of 12 months were significantly difference in the LISS group than in the anatomical plate group. The bone graft was used more frequently in the anatomical plate group. Overall post-operative complications or radiographic healing times were all similar in both groups. A trend toward significance of a higher incidence of symptomatic hardware irritation were observed in the LISS group compared to the anatomical plate group. Conclusion: LISS and the anatomical plate both obtained the satisfactory outcomes in our study. However, LISS was characterized by the less invasion and more excellent recovery, and is new trend for the complicated proximal tibial fractures.

Key words: proximal tibial, fracture, less invasive stabilization system, anatomical plate