The results of surgical treatment in ankle fractures

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the results of surgical treatment for ankle fractures and the factors that play a role in these results. METHODS: The study included 31 patients (20 men, 11 women, mean age 38.2 years) who underwent surgical treatment for ankle fractures and had an adequate follow-up. According to the Lauge-Hansen classification, the mechanism of occurrence was supination-external rotation in 13 (42%), pronation-external rotation in two (26%), pronation-abduction in four (13%), and supination-abduction in four patients (13%). In two patients (6%), the fractures could not be classified. Most of the fractures occurred with falling in winter months. The majority of fractures (55%) was of bimalleolar type. The mean follow-up was 26 months. RESULTS: Union was obtained in all fractures. According to the objective criteria, the results were good, moderate, and poor in 18 (58%), eight (26%), and five (16%) patients, respectively. Subjective evaluation yielded good, moderate, and poor results in 17 (55%), eight (26%), and six (19%) patients, respectively. The results were poor especially in pronation-external rotation and fracture-dislocation type fractures. Two patients (6%) developed degenerative arthritis. CONCLUSION: In our opinion, the best anatomical reduction may be achieved by surgical treatment of ankle fractures that present with a talar tilt, fibular shortening, and injury to the syndesmosis.