PURPOSE: Stable Weber B ankle fractures are treated by a walking boot for 6 weeks and bearing full weight through the boot as tolerated. The aim of the present study was to assess the outcome parameters of this treatment protocol, evaluate the efficacy of using the walking boot, and investigate any possible predicting factors that could affect the outcomes. METHODS: All the patients with stable Weber B ankle fractures, treated in our hospital between January 2018 and December 2018, were prospectively included to the study. The patients were evaluated clinically, and the patient-reported outcome measures data were collected at the 2 and 6 weeks post-injury. Chi square, Spearman's rho test, independent samples and paired sample t-tests were used for the monovariant analysis. RESULTS: A total of 128 consecutive patients (aged 52.2 ± 19.1 years) with supination external rotation type 2 fracture were finally included to the study. At the 2 weeks follow-up, the reported outcome measures scores were in moderate levels, but improved significantly at the 6 weeks follow-up (p < 0.0001). Multivariant analysis revealed that the ability to bear full weight without the boot at the 2 weeks after diagnosis was the only variable, which made statistically unique contribution to the foot and ankle disability index score at the 6 weeks (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION Conservative treatment using a walking boot with advice to bear full weight of stable ankle Weber B fractures can bring to good functional outcomes. The ability to bear full weight without the aid of the walking boot at 2 weeks after diagnosis was the only significant predicting factor for better outcomes at 6 weeks after diagnosis.
Humans ; Ankle ; Ankle Fractures/therapy* ; Ankle Joint ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods* ; Supination ; Treatment Outcome ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Aged

BACKGROUND: We assessed the frequency and types of ankle fractures that frequently occur during parachute landings of special operation unit personnel and analyzed the causes. METHODS: Fifty-six members of the special force brigade of the military who had sustained ankle fractures during parachute landings between January 2005 and April 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The injury sites and fracture sites were identified and the fracture types were categorized by the Lauge-Hansen and Weber classifications. Follow-up surveys were performed with respect to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score, patient satisfaction, and return to preinjury activity. RESULTS: The patients were all males with a mean age of 23.6 years. There were 28 right and 28 left ankle fractures. Twenty-two patients had simple fractures and 34 patients had comminuted fractures. The average number of injury and fractures sites per person was 2.07 (116 injuries including a syndesmosis injury and a deltoid injury) and 1.75 (98 fracture sites), respectively. Twenty-three cases (41.07%) were accompanied by posterior malleolar fractures. Fifty-five patients underwent surgery; of these, 30 had plate internal fixations. Weber type A, B, and C fractures were found in 4, 38, and 14 cases, respectively. Based on the Lauge-Hansen classification, supination-external rotation injuries were found in 20 cases, supination-adduction injuries in 22 cases, pronation-external rotation injuries in 11 cases, tibiofibular fractures in 2 cases, and simple medial malleolar fractures in 2 cases. The mean follow-up period was 23.8 months, and the average follow-up American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score was 85.42. Forty-five patients (80.36%) reported excellent or good satisfaction with the outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior malleolar fractures occurred in 41.07% of ankle fractures sustained in parachute landings. Because most of the ankle fractures in parachute injuries were compound fractures, most cases had to undergo surgical repairs.
Adult ; Ankle Fractures/classification/etiology/radiography/*surgery ; Ankle Injuries/etiology/radiography/*therapy ; Ankle Joint/radiography/*surgery ; Aviation ; Bone Plates ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fractures, Comminuted/etiology/radiography/surgery ; Fractures, Open/etiology/radiography/surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore therapeutic effects of bone setting manipulation for the treatment of over degree II supination-eversion fractures of ankle,and analyze manipulative reduction mechanism.

METHODSFrom 2005 to 2008, 95 patients with over degree II supination-eversion fractures of ankle were treated respectively by manipulation and operation. There were 43 cases [11 males and 32 females with an average age of (44.95 +/- 12.65) years] in manipulation group, and 2 cases were degree II, 11 cases were degree III, and 30 cases were degree IV. There were 52 cases [21 males and 31 females with an average age of (39.96 +/- 13.28) years] in operative group,and 6 cases were degree II, 18 cases were degree III, and 28 cases were degree IV. Bone setting manipulation and hard splint external fixation were applied to manipulative group. Operative reduction internal fixation was performed in operative group. X-ray was used to evaluate reduction of fracture before and after treatment, 2 months after treatment. Ankle joint function was evaluated according to Olerud-Molander scoring system after 6 months treatment.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up with good reduction. Three cases occurred wound complication in operative group, but not in manipulative group. In manipulation group, 19 cases got excellent results, 20 cases good and 4 cases fair; while in operative group, 30 cases got excellent results, 20 cases good and 2 cases poor. There were no significant differences in fracture reduction and ankle joint function recovery between two groups (P > 0.05). Efficacy of operative treatment was better than that of manipulative treatment at degree IV fracture (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBone setting manipulation is a good method for treating supination-eversion ankle joint fractures, which has advantages of simple and safe operation, reliable efficacy. For ankle join fracture at degree IV, manipulative reduction should be adopted earlier, and operative treatment also necessary

Adult ; Ankle Injuries ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Ankle Joint ; physiology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Fractures, Bone ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Manipulation, Orthopedic ; methods ; Supination

PURPOSE: Open fractures of the foot and ankle require prompt repair of the wound due to the complexity of anatomy, insufficiency of soft tissues and inadequate blood supply. Early flaps and skin grafts are used for this purpose yet general condition of the patient as well as local wound environment often precludes such treatment options. Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) is recently being used in such cases. This study was done to validate the use of VAC together with silver antimicrobial dressing materials in contaminated open fracture wounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have selected 10 patients with Gustillo-Anderson type III open fractures of the foot & ankle treated with VAC and silver antimicrobial dressing materials from March 2007 to January 2008. The relationship between duration of treatment with wound size, contamination, and degree of soft tissue damage was analyzed. RESULTS: The average age of patients was 36.6 years. The average amount of VAC application time was 23.4 days. Silver dressing materials were used for 16.8 days. Average wound healing time was 51.9 days. Statistically significant relationship was found between wound size, VAC application time and silver dressing material application time. No complications such as osteomyelitis were found after treatment. CONCLUSION: VAC technique is recently being used in open fractures with wide skin and soft tissue defects, producing good results. A wide array of dressing materials such as silver dressing is in development. We have incorporated the VAC technique together with silver dressing materials in the treatment of open fractures and achieved complication free results.
Animals ; Ankle ; Bandages ; Foot ; Fractures, Open ; Humans ; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy ; Osteomyelitis ; Silver ; Skin ; Transplants ; Wound Healing

Intramedullary interlocking nailing is the gold standard for treatment of tibial shaft fractures. The growing use of intramedullary nailing has resulted in an increased number of tibial nailing in daily clinical practice. Despite adequate surgeon experience, tibial nailing is not without complications if proper techniques are not followed. A case of iatrogenic talar neck and medial malleolus fractures during intramedullary nailing of tibia in a 24-year-old male is reported. It is believed to be caused by forceful hammering of insertion zig with foot dorsiflexed. To the best of our knowledge, no such case has been reported in the literature. It is possible to reduce the risk of this complication by adoption of preventive measures.
Ankle Fractures ; Bone Nails ; adverse effects ; Femoral Fractures ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; Male ; Talus ; injuries ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical effects of the manipulative reduction and splint fixation for the treatment of fracture-dislocation of ankle.

METHODSFrom April 1990 to June 2010, 53 patients with fracture dislocation of ankle were treated with non-operative treatment including manipulative reduction, splint fixation, oral herbal soup and early functional exercises. There were 32 males and 21 females with an average age of 42.5 years (ranged, 25 to 60). There were 30 cases in left and 23 cases in right. Ankle joint function was evaluated according to standard of Mazur.

RESULTSFollow up time was from 6 to 60 months with an average of 33 months; all the fractures healed with an average of 4 months (ranged, 3 to 5). The mean of Mazur scoring was 90.11+/- 8.40, 36 cases got excellent results, 11 good, 3 fair and 3 poor.

CONCLUSIONWith non-operative treatment such as manipulative reduction and splint external fixation for fracture-dislocation of ankle can obtain satisfactory effects, which has advantage of simple operation, less trauma.

Adult ; Ankle Injuries ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Bone ; therapy ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; therapy ; Male ; Manipulation, Orthopedic ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Splints

Adult ; Ankle Injuries ; therapy ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; therapy ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; therapy ; Male ; Manipulation, Orthopedic ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Talus ; injuries

OBJECTIVETo report the clinical outcome of the treatment of compound ankle fractures by vacuum sealing drainage and spanning external fixator.

METHODSFrom April 2005 to April 2009, 19 cases of Gustilo type III compound ankle fractures were treated, with type IIIA in 10 cases, Type IIIB in 7 and Type IIIC in 2. All cases underwent emergency debridement, and had the fractures fixed with spanning external fixator following indirect reduction, the wound closed with vacuum sealing drainage and repaired through direct suture, split-thickness skin graft or flap transposition.

RESULTSIn this series, following VSD of 5.0 to 18.0 d (mean 10.3 d), 2 cases had their wounds closed by direct suture, 12 by skin graft and 3 by flap transposition. The other 2 cases had repeated wound debridement and multiple use of VSD, and had their wounds repaired by flap transposition. All the 19 cases were followed up for 8 to 36 months with an average of 26 months. All the fractures united 3.0 to 10.0 (mean 3.8) months. At the final follow-up functional evaluation of the affected ankle joints was performed only to find excellent in 9 cases, good in 5, fair in 4 and poor in 1.

CONCLUSIONGustilo type III compound ankle fracture can effectively be treated with VSD and spanning external fixator.

Adult ; Aged ; Ankle Injuries ; surgery ; External Fixators ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Fractures, Open ; surgery ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Radial head excision has always been a safe commonly used surgical procedure with a satisfactory clinical outcome for isolated comminuted radial head fractures. However, diagnosis of elbow instability is still very challenging and often underestimated in routine orthopaedic evaluation. We present the case of a 21-years old female treated with excision after radial head fracture, resulting in elbow instability. The patient underwent revision surgery after four weeks. We believe that ligament reconstruction without radial head substitution is a safe alternative choice for Mason III radial head fractures accompanied by complex ligament lesions.
Adult ; Elbow Joint ; injuries ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; Humans ; Joint Instability ; therapy ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; surgery ; Radius Fractures ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the radiological, clinical results in patients with open distal tibia factures, who were treated with a staged treatment protocol using the lateral minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) technique. METHODS: From January 2007 to June 2009, 10 patients with open distal tibia fractures (Gustilo-Anderson classification II, 3; IIIA, 1; IIIB, 6) were treated using a staged treatment protocol. The initial debridement and application of an external fixator were performed within 24 hours and the mean interval from injury to definitive surgical treatment was 15 days (range, 6 to 52 days). Eight weeks later, an additional bone graft was performed in 3 patients. The follow-up duration was more than 1 year. RESULTS: The mean fracture healing time was 21 weeks (range, 17 to 28 weeks), and the average Iowa ankle rating score was 84.5 points. At the last follow-up, there was no non-union, angular deformity > 5degrees, shortening > 10 mm or infection. In 10 patients, 2 patients had a superficial wound infection, and another 2 patients showed limitation of ankle joint motion. CONCLUSIONS: This staged treatment protocol using a lateral MIPO technique is a useful alternative method for achieving high functional recovery with good healing and low complication rates in patients with an open distal tibia fracture.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ankle Injuries/*surgery ; Bone Transplantation ; Clinical Protocols ; Debridement ; External Fixators ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/*methods ; Fractures, Open/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Tibial Fractures/*surgery ; Treatment Outcome