Operative Treatment of Jones Fractures (OTA Type 87,5.2A) is not Associated with Earlier Clinical or Radiographic Healing

Abstract

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot; Trauma Introduction/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the time to radiographic and clinical healing between patients with metadiaphyseal metatarsal fractures (True Jones) treated operatively and those treated nonoperatively. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients presenting to a single large, urban, academic hospital center with Jones fractures between December 2012 and April 2022. Jones fractures were defined as 5th metatarsal base fractures occurring in the proximal metadiaphyseal region, just distal to the articulation of the 4th and 5th metatarsals on the oblique radiographic view (Zone 3). Information regarding patient demographics, injury mechanism, clinical presentation, management, and time to healing was collected. A fracture was defined as clinically healed when the patient had returned to their baseline ambulatory status without pain and there was an absence of tenderness to palpation on physical examination. Radiographic healing was defined as the presence of complete osseous consolidation. A total of 2,466 patients presented with 5th metatarsal fractures during the study period. Results: Among all 5th metatarsal fractures, 170 patients (6.9%) were classified as “true Jones” fractures. The mean age of patients presenting with Jones fractures was 46.1 +/- 18.6 years, and 65.8% were female. 19.9% were treated operatively (92.9% with screw fixation and 7.1% with ORIF), and 80.1% were treated nonoperatively. 95.9% of patients with Jones fractures went on to heal with no difference in time to radiographic healing (p = 0.296) or clinical healing between both groups (p = 0.228). Furthermore, there was no difference between groups with respect to the proportion of patients who developed delayed radiographic union with incomplete osseous healing at 6 months post-injury (9.3% in the nonoperative group versus 10.7% in the operative group, p = 0.098). Conclusion: Contrary to popular opinion, operative treatment of true Jones fractures was not associated with faster or more reliable radiographic union or time to clinical healing compared to patients treated nonoperatively. The overall rate of nonunion in true Jones fractures was found to be lower than previously described, and there was no evidence of any difference in nonunion rate with operative treatment compared to nonoperative management.