Weber C ankle fractures with tibiofibular diastasis: syndesmosis-only fixation

• Autor(a) principal: Sipahioglu,Serkan
• Data de Publicação: 2017
• Outros Autores: Zehir,Sinan, Isikan,Erdem
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Acta Ortopédica Brasileira (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-78522017000300067
• topic: Ankle injuries; Fracture fixation, internal; Fractures, bone; Follow-up studies

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: To evaluate syndesmosis-only fixation in Weber C ankle fractures with tibiofibular diastasis and to assess the need for additional fibular fixation. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with Weber C ankle fractures and tibiofibular diastasis were followed for at least 24 months after treatment. In treatment of the Weber C fractures, only a syndesmosis screw was used through a mini open lateral incision if the syndesmosis could be anatomically reduced and fibular length and rotation could be restored. At follow-up, anteroposterior tibiofibular distance, lateral fibular distance, medial mortise distance and fracture healing were compared and patients were clinically evaluated using the Olerud and Molander ankle scale scoring system. RESULTS: The average duration of follow-up was 49 months and the decreases in anteroposterior tibiofibular distance and lateral fibular distance were statistically significant. At the last follow-up the average clinical score was 86. Ankle mortise was reduced at follow-up in all cases except one, which resulted in a late diastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Syndesmosis-only fixation can be an effective method of treating Weber type-C lateral malleolar fractures with syndesmosis disruption in cases where intraoperative fibular length can be restored and anatomical syndesmosis reduction can be achieved. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.