OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical experiment of cortical screw in the treatment of tibiofibular syndesmosis separation together with ankle fractures.

METHODSFrom March 2008 to May 2012,42 patients with tibiofibular syndesmosis separation were treated with cortical screw, including 20 cases in the left and 24 cases in the right. All the patients had closed injury. According to Lauge-Hansen classification, there were 18 cases of supination-external rotation, in which 4 patients with injuries belong to type II, 8 patients with injuries belong to type III, 6 patients with injuries belong to type IV; 14 cases of pronation-external rotation, in which 6 patients with injuries belong to type III, 8 patients with injuries belong to type IV; and 12 cases of pronation-abduction, in which 4 patients with injuries belong to type II, 8 patients with injuries belong to type III. According to injury of ankle, 4 patients had injuries in one ankle, 28 patients had injuries in 2 ankles, and 12 patients had injuries in 3 ankles. All the patients were diagnosised definitely in sight of medical history, checking-up, iconography. The clinical effects were evaluated based on Baird-Jackson score and activity degree of ankle.

RESULTSAll the patient were followed up, and the duration ranged from 11 to 23 months, with an average of 15.7 months. No postoperative wound infection, nonunion, and tibiofibular syndesmosis separation again and other complications occurred. Postoperative Baird-Jackson score exhibited 91.56 ± 6.26 (75 to 99), and 26 patients got an excellent result, 10 good, 6 poor and 2 bad. One patient had nail broken after operation,and got good function after removing broken nail without external fixation. Other 1 patient had osteoarthritis to 1 degree, and got better result with the treatment of physical therapy and intra-articular injection.

CONCLUSIONCortex screw is the effective treatment for tibiofibular syndesmosis separation. Clear diagnosis, delicate operation and postoperative reasonable functional exercise are primary factor of prognosis.