Efficacy of Antibiotic Cement in Preserving Endoplants After Infection With Plate Exposure

Background: To study the feasibility and efficacy of antibiotic cement in preserving endoplants after infection in patients with early tibial plateau fracture on plate exposure.Patients and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 23 patients treated for post-operative infection with plate exposure after tibial plateau fracture between 2017 and 2021. They were divided into the observation group (10 patients) and the control group (13 patients). Total operation time, length of hospitalization, hospitalization cost, the number of surgeries, white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil (NEUT) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), the post-operative evaluation index, and complications were observed during the follow-up period.Results: All patients were followed up for 6 to 12 months; wound healing was observed in both groups. The total operation time for patients in the control group was longer compared with the observation group. However, the length of hospitalization, hospitalization cost, and number of surgeries in the observation group were less compared with the control group. No difference in WBC, NEUT, ESR, and CRP levels was observed one day after surgery. Furthermore, WBC, NEUT, ESR, and CRP levels were higher in patients in the control group compared with the observation group 72 hours after surgery. There were no differences in the post-operative evaluation index and complications in both groups.Conclusions: The antibiotic cement coating used for treating early post-operative infection in patients with tibial plateau fracture could effectively control infection while retaining endoplant, thereby promoting wound healing. It could also reduce pain and the medical burden on patients.