Ankle Open Reduction And Internal Fixation Research Articles

Ankle fracture surgery performed by orthopaedic residents without supervision has comparable outcomes to surgery performed by fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeons

BackgroundUnstable fractures often necessitate open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), which generally yield favourable outcomes. However, the impact of surgical trainee autonomy on healthcare quality in these procedures remains uncertain. We hypothesized that surgery performed solely by residents, without supervision or participation of an attending surgeon, can provide similar outcomes to surgery performed by trauma or foot and ankle fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons.MethodsA single-center cohort of an academic level-1 trauma center was retrospectively reviewed for all ankle ORIF between 2015 and 2019. Data were compared between surgery performed solely by post-graduate-year 4 to 6 residents, and surgery performed by trauma or foot and ankle fellowship-trained surgeons. Demographics, surgical parameters, preoperative and postoperative radiographs, and primary (mortality, complications, and revision surgery) and secondary outcome variables were collected and analyzed. Univariate analysis was performed to evaluate outcomes.ResultsA total of 460 ankle fractures were included in the study. Nonoperative cases and cases operated by senior orthopaedic surgeons who are not trauma or foot and ankle fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons were excluded. The average follow-up time was 58.4 months (SD ± 12.5). Univariate analysis of outcomes demonstrated no significant difference between residents and attendings in complications and reoperations rate (p = 0.690, p = 0.388). Sub-analysis by fracture pattern (Lauge-Hansen classification) and the number of malleoli involved and fixated demonstrated similar outcomes. surgery time was significantly longer in the resident group (p < 0.001).ConclusionThe current study demonstrates that ankle fracture surgery can be performed by trained orthopaedic surgery residents, with similar results and complication rates as surgery performed by fellowship-trained attendings. These findings provide valuable insights into surgical autonomy in residency and its role in modern clinical training and surgical education.Level of evidenceLevel III – retrospective cohort study.

Differences in Regional Anesthesia Utilization by Hospital Region in the United States.

Regional anesthesia has been associated with improved postoperative outcomes. Disparities in regional anesthesia utilization exist; however, no studies have examined utilization rates as a function of hospital region. A national hospital database (Hospital Corporation of America {HCA}) was queried for patients aged 18 years or older that received selected surgical procedure codes between January 2016 and June 2021. Surgical procedures included were total knee arthroplasty (TKA), total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), carpal tunnel release, total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of the ankle, and arteriovenous (AV) fistula creation. Regional anesthesia was defined as any form of neuraxial and/or peripheral nerve blocks. Basic summary statistics were utilized to calculate the rates of regional anesthesia (RA), and chi-squared analyseswere calculated to determine significant differences in the rate of RA utilization. There were 52,068 patients included in this study, of which 2,114 (4.1%) received RA. The greatest RA rates were for TSA (5.8%), TKA (4.5),and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) (3.6%), whereas the lowest RA rate was for TAH (1.1%). For the TKA cohort, the Midwest had a significantly greater utilization rate than the South or West (10.9% vs. 4.8% or 3.1%, p<0.001). The Midwest also had the highest utilization rate in the ACLR cohort (8.1%, p<0.001), TAH cohort (16.7%, p<0.001), and AV fistula cohort (6.4%, p<0.001). For the carpal tunnel cohort, the West had the highest utilization rate (11.8% vs. 8.1%, 1.1%, 0%, p<0.001). The West region also had the highest utilization rate for the ankle ORIF (7.8%, p<0.001). No significant differences were found by region for TSA (p=0.31). Significant variations in RA utilization rates were found by region, with the West having the highest utilization for ankle ORIF and carpal tunnel, and the Midwest having the highest rate for TKA, ACLR, TAH, and AV fistula.

A Retrospective Analysis of Outcomes from Foot and Ankle Arthrodesis and Open Reduction and Internal Fixation using Cellular Bone Allograft Augmentation

Category:Other; Ankle; Basic Sciences/Biologics; Hindfoot; Midfoot/ForefootIntroduction/Purpose:Surgical arthrodesis of joints in the foot and ankle is common in patients who have failed nonoperative management for a variety of conditions. ViviGen is an allogeneic cellular bone matrix product that contains lineage-committed bone cells, and can be used as an alternative to autograft bone or other augments in order to aid in arthrodesis or to enhance bony healing in open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) procedures. However, compared with autograft bone, ViviGen does not introduce potential for donor site morbidity. Due to the lack of studies examining outcomes following foot and ankle surgeries in which ViviGen is utilized, further investigation is required to determine its efficacy and safety for use in foot and ankle joint arthrodesis and skeletal fracture fixation.Methods:This study included 153 consecutive patients undergoing ankle, midfoot or hindfoot arthrodesis or ORIF procedures in which ViviGen was used as an augment. Pediatric patients and cases involving structural allografts or metal wedges were excluded. Patients were not excluded based on the amount of ViviGen used, type of instrumentation or implants used, or due to comorbidity. This series included revision as well as primary arthrodesis procedures and included various fixation types. Retrospective chart review was used to identify patient demographic factors and medical comorbidities, as well as to evaluate clinical and radiographic data to determine outcome.Results:135 patients were available for analysis at final evaluation. 113 patients underwent arthrodesis (mean age of 56.29 years, mean body mass index of 32.19). 22 patients underwent an ORIF procedure (mean age of 36.35 years, mean body mass index of 32.79). The fusion rate for the arthrodesis cohort was 97/113 (85.8%). Table 1 demonstrates the fusion rate stratified by region of the foot. Smokers had significantly lower rates of fusion compared to nonsmokers (p=0.01). There was not a statistically significant difference in the rate of fusion between primary and revision arthrodesis (p=0.8650). The rate of fusion was significantly lower in patients with Charcot foot in comparison to patients without Charcot foot (p=0.0076). The bony healing rate for the ORIF cohort was 19/22 (86.4%).Conclusion:This large case series of patients undergoing a wide variety of procedures about the ankle, hindfoot, and midfoot with ViviGen bone graft augmentation demonstrates satisfactory outcomes with regard to fusion rate and successful union, as well as minimal complications. To date, this is the largest case series in the literature of patients undergoing foot and ankle procedures with an allogenic cellular bone matrix product that contains lineage-committed bone cells. Our findings help to introduce ViviGen as a safe and efficacious alternative to other forms of augmentation for fusion and ORIF procedures about the foot and ankle.

A Retrospective Analysis of Outcomes From Foot and Ankle Arthrodesis and Open Reduction and Internal Fixation Using Cellular Bone Allograft Augmentation.

ViviGen is an allogeneic cellular bone matrix product containing lineage-committed bone cells, and can be used as an alternative to autograft bone or other augments to aid in arthrodesis or to enhance bony healing in open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) procedures. This study included 153 consecutive patients undergoing ankle, midfoot, or hindfoot arthrodesis or ORIF procedures from January 2017 to October 2018, in which an allogeneic cellular bone matrix product was used to aid in bony healing. Retrospective chart review identified patient demographic factors and medical comorbidities and evaluated clinical and radiographic data to determine fusion/union rate and complications. The overall fusion rate for the arthrodesis cohort was 97/113 (85.8%). The overall complication rate in this cohort was 22/113 (19.5%). Smokers had significantly lower rates of fusion compared with nonsmokers (P = .01). The observed bony healing rate for the ORIF cohort was 19/22 (86.4%), with a complication rate of 3/22 (13.6%). With satisfactory fusion rates and relatively few complications, our findings suggest that ViviGen is a safe and efficacious alternative to other forms of bone graft augmentation for fusion and ORIF procedures about the foot and ankle. Further study is needed to compare the efficacy of ViviGen with autograft bone and other augments. Level IV: Case series.

Immediate Improvement in Physical Function After Symptomatic Syndesmotic Screw Removal.

To investigate the immediate impact of removing symptomatic syndesmotic screws on PROMIS outcomes and ankle range of motion (ROM) in patients who had previously undergone ankle fracture open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and syndesmotic fixation and later experienced functional limitations. Prospective cohort study. Level 1-trauma center. Fifty-eight patients with ankle fractures with syndesmotic instability that required ORIF with syndesmotic fixation who underwent syndesmotic screw removal (SSR) and 71 patients who underwent ankle ORIF with syndesmotic fixation, but without screw removal during the same study period. Symptomatic SSR for patients with functional limitations and decreased ankle ROM. PROMIS physical function (PF) and pain interference T-scores and ankle ROM before and after screw removal. Patients who underwent SSR had a statistically significant improvement in the PF T-score to 44.5 (P < 0.01) in the early postoperative period (mean 48 days) after screw removal. The screw removal occurred an average of 184 days after initial ORIF. This PF T-score change also met the minimally clinically important difference. There was a trend toward a significant improvement in PF T-scores for the SSR group as compared to the cohort group (44.5 vs. 41.6; P = 0.06) after screw removal. Removal of symptomatic implants resulted in an early mean improvement of total arc ankle ROM by 17 degrees (P < 0.01). Patients experienced an immediate and significant improvement in PF outcomes and ankle ROM after symptomatic SSR for ankle fracture ORIF with syndesmotic fixation. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Safety of Early Weight Bearing Following Fixation of Bimalleolar Ankle Fractures.

Ankle fractures are common orthopedic injuries. Although operative indications and subsequent stabilization of these fractures have not significantly changed, postoperative protocols remain highly variable. Effects of early weight bearing (EWB) on fracture characteristics in operatively stabilized bimalleolar and bimalleolar equivalent ankle fractures remain poorly publicized. This study seeks to clarify postoperative fracture union rates, rates of hardware loosening or failure, and radiographic medial clear space changes when comparing EWB to late weight bearing (LWB) following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF).A total of 95 patients with either bimalleolar (66%) or bimalleolar equivalent (34%) fractures who underwent ORIF were retrospectively reviewed. Weight bearing was allowed at three weeks in the EWB group and when signs of radiographic union were noted in the LWB group. Postoperatively, patients were evaluated at regular intervals for fracture union, signs of implant failure, and evidence of medial clear space widening radiographically.There were 38 patients (40%) in the EWB group and 57 patients (60%) comprising the LWB cohort. There were no significant demographic differences between groups. The EWB group on average began to weight bear at 3.1 + 1.4 weeks postoperatively, whereas the LWB group began at 7.2 + 2.1 weeks postoperatively (p<0.01). Union rate (p=0.51), time to union (p=0.23), and implant failure (p>0.1 at all time intervals) were not notably different between groups. No differences in medial clear space were detected at any postoperative interval between groups (p>0.1 at all time intervals). This study suggests that EWB at three weeks postoperatively does not increase markers of radiographic failure compared to six weeks of non-weight bearing (NWB), which has been regarded as the gold standard of treatment to allow for healing; this may represent an improvement to rehabilitation protocols after bimalleolar ankle ORIF of unstable ankle fractures.

Ankle Arthroscopy: A Complimentary Adjunct in the Diagnosis and Management of Ankle Fractures

Ankle fractures are one of the most common injuries treated by orthopaedic surgeons. A minority of patients with ankle fractures go on to develop persistent pain following anatomical reduction. These sequelae may arise as a result of untreated ligamentous or chondral injuries. This study aims to correlate acute arthroscopic ankle findings with the Lauge-Hansen fracture pattern classification. We further aim to compare subjective functional outcomes at least one year following surgery between patients who have received Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF) alone, versus ORIF plus arthroscopy. This is a retrospective case series of patients who have undergone ankle fracture ORIF +/- arthroscopy from July 2014 to July 2017 inclusive. Each patient’s presenting radiograph was classified according to the Lauge-Hansen ankle fracture classification with subsequent correlation to intra-operative arthroscopic findings. Functional outcome at a minimum of one year was evaluated with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) metric. Twenty two patients underwent ankle ORIF plus arthroscopy (Group A) with a further 26 patients receiving ORIF alone (Group B). 1 in 3 supination-external-rotation type II (SER II) injuries possessed a concomitant syndesmosis injury or osteochondral lesion (OCL) on arthroscopy. 1 in 3 patients with an SER IV injury had an osteochondral lesion. The mean AAOS score achieved for Group A was 89.6 (±7.9) with the mean score for Group B being 82.0 (±13.7). In conclusion, ankle arthroscopy aids the diagnosis and treatment of ligamentous and osteochondral injuries not evident on plain film with subsequent superior short-term outcomes.

Longer Operative Time Is Independently Associated With Surgical Site Infection and Wound Dehiscence Following Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of the Ankle.

Background: Little is known regarding the association of operative time with adverse events following foot and ankle surgery. This study tests whether greater operative time is associated with the occurrence of adverse events following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of the ankle. Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for cases of ankle ORIF (primary CPT codes 27766, 27769, 27792, 27814, 27822, 27823) performed during 2005-2016. Operative time was tested for association with the occurrence of adverse events with controls for baseline characteristics and primary CPT code. Results: A total of 20 591 procedures met inclusion/exclusion criteria. The average (±SD) operative time was 75.7 (±37.3) minutes and varied by baseline characteristics and primary CPT code. After controlling for these factors, a 15-minute increase in operative time was associated with an 11% increase in risk for developing surgical site infection (SSI; relative risk [RR]: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.06-1.16), 20% for wound dehiscence (RR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.11-1.29), 10% for anemia requiring transfusion (RR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.04-1.17), 60% for cerebrovascular accident (RR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.17-2.18), 14% for unplanned intubation (RR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.03-1.26), and 7% for extended length of hospital admission (RR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.05-1.09). Conclusion: Operative time is linearly and independently associated with the risks for SSI, wound dehiscence, and other adverse events following ORIF of the ankle. Efforts should be implemented to safely minimize operative duration without compromising the technical components of the procedure. Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV.

Trends in Urgent Care Utilization Following Ankle Fracture Fixation

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) have implemented initiatives to improve postdischarge care and reduce unnecessary readmissions. Readmissions within 30 days are frequent and represent an economic burden on both patients and the healthcare system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and causes for urgent care visits within 30 days of discharge after ankle open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and determine factors correlated with such visits. This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. All patients who underwent ankle ORIF at our institution between July 1, 2016, and June 30, 2017, were included. Patients were identified using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for ankle ORIF. Patients' demographics including age, sex, race, body mass index, occupation, insurance payer, and comorbidities were documented. Thirty-five patients (10.51%) had urgent care visits within 30 days of discharge. Patients presented at a mean of 11.8 days after the day of surgery. Sixteen patients (45.71%) had cast/splint-related issues, 7 (20%) presented with pain, and 7 (20%) with increased operative site drainage. Univariate analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association between postoperative urgent care visits and patients with diabetes ( P = .03) or underlying psychiatric disorders ( P = .03). In this population study of patients undergoing ankle fracture surgery, we found that the rate of urgent care visits within 30 days of discharge exceeded the rate of inpatient readmission. Additionally, patients with diabetes and psychiatric disorders were significantly more likely to present to an urgent care facility postoperatively, potentially accounting for increased expenditures of the healthcare system. Level III, comparative series.

Effect of Postoperative Ketorolac Administration on Bone Healing in Ankle Fracture Surgery.

In an effort to minimize narcotic analgesia and its potential side effects, anti-inflammatory agents offer great potential provided they do not interfere with bone healing. The safety of ketorolac administration after foot and ankle surgery has not been well defined in the current literature. The purpose of this study was to report clinical healing and radiographic outcomes for patients treated with a perioperative ketorolac regimen after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of ankle fractures. A retrospective review was performed on all patients that received perioperative ketorolac at the time of lateral malleolar, bimalleolar, and trimalleolar ankle ORIF by a single surgeon between 2010 and 2016 with minimum 4 months follow-up. Patients received 20 tablets of 10 mg ketorolac Q6 hours. Radiographs were evaluated independently by 2 blinded fellowship-trained orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons to assess for radiographic healing. A total of 281 patients were included, with a median age of 51 years and 138 males (47%). Statistical analysis consisted of a linear mixed-effects regression. In all, 265/281 (94%) were clinically healed within 12 weeks and 261/281 (92%) were radiographically healed within 12 weeks. Within the group of patients that did not heal within 12 weeks, mean time to clinical healing was 16.9 weeks (range = 14-25 weeks), and mean time to radiographic healing was 17.1 weeks (range = 14-25 weeks). In patients taking ketorolac, there were no cases of nonunion in our series (n = 281) and no significant difference found between fracture patterns and healing or complications ( P = .500). Perioperative ketorolac use was associated with a high rate of fracture union by 12 weeks. This is the first study to examine the effect of ketorolac on radiographic time to union of ankle fractures. Additional studies are necessary to determine whether ketorolac helps reduce opioid consumption and improve pain following ORIF of ankle fractures. Level IV, case series.

Trends in Urgent Care Utilization Following Ankle Fracture Fixation

Category: Ankle Introduction/Purpose: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) have implemented initiatives to improve post-discharge care and reduce unnecessary readmissions. Readmissions within 30-days are frequent and represent an economic burden on patients and the healthcare system alike. A recent study reported a 3.17% readmission rate after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of ankle fractures. While readmission implies inpatient-discharge to inpatient-readmission, patients may present to urgent care facilities and receive medical treatment without being admitted. This too has socioeconomic implications. The incidence and reasons for urgent care visits following ankle fracture surgery has not been studied. The aim of this study is to evaluate the frequency and causes for urgent care visits within 30-days of discharge after ankle ORIF and determine factors correlated with such visits. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. All patients who underwent ankle ORIF at our institution between 7/1/2016 and 6/30/2017 were included. Patients were identified using CPT codes for ankle ORIF ((27814, 27822, 27823, 27792, 27766, and 27829). Patients less than 18 years of age, with open fractures or with other appendicular or axial skeleton injuries were excluded. Patients’ demographics including age, sex, race, BMI, occupation, insurance payer and comorbidities were documented. The primary outcome of our study was to determine the frequency of urgent care visits within 30-days of discharge after ankle ORIF. Our secondary goals were to evaluate the association between urgent care visits and demographics, and identify the reason for post-operative urgent care utilization. Results: A total of 333 patients met the inclusion criteria. Fifty four percent of our cohort were males. Thirty five patients (10.51%) had urgent care visits with 30-days of discharge. Patients presented at a mean of 11.83 days from the day of surgery. Sixteen patients (45.71%) had cast/splint related issues, seven (20%) presented with pain and seven (20%) with increased surgical site drainage (Fig 1). Univariable analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association between post-operative urgent care utilization and patients with diabetes (p=0.03) and underlying psychiatric disorders (p=0.03). Conclusion: In this population study of patients undergoing ankle fracture surgery who underwent ankle ORIF, we found that the rate of urgent care visits within 30-days of discharge exceeds the rate of inpatient readmission. Additionally, patients with diabetes and psychiatric disorders are significantly more likely to present to an urgent care facility post-operatively. This is an important finding, as there are large costs to the healthcare system associated with this. Future studies must identify additional risk factors and means of reducing such added costs to our already stressed healthcare system.

Validated Risk Stratification System for Prediction of Adverse Events Following Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of the Ankle

Category: Ankle Introduction/Purpose: As orthopaedic surgery moves towards bundled payments, there is growing interest in identifying patients at high risk for postoperative adverse events. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a risk stratification system for the occurrence of adverse events following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of the ankle. Methods: Patients undergoing ORIF of closed ankle fractures as part of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) were identified. For patients undergoing surgery during 2006-2014, multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to identify factors that were independently associated with the occurrence of adverse events (including events such as surgical site infection, myocardial infarction, and pulmonary embolism). Based on these results, a nomogram was used to generate a point-scoring system for risk stratification. To evaluate the validity of the point-scoring system, the system was applied to patients undergoing ankle ORIF during 2015-2016. Results: Of the 6,140 patients undergoing surgery during 2006-2014, 5.8% developed an adverse event. Based on the Cox proportional hazards regression, patients were assigned points for each of the following statistically significant risk factors: anemia (+2 points), insulin-dependent diabetes (+2 points), age=65 (+1 point), dependent functional status (+1 point), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; +1 point), and hypertension (+1 point; Figure 1A). 4,702 patients were identified in the 2015-2016 validation cohort. Among these patients, the risk-stratification system was found to strongly predict the risk for adverse events (p&lt;0.001, Figure 1B). Conclusion: The occurrence of adverse events following ankle ORIF is associated with anemia, insulin-dependent diabetes, age=65, dependent functional status, COPD, and hypertension. We present and validate a simple point-scoring risk stratification system to predict the risk of adverse events. Future systems of bundled payments for ankle ORIF should exclude high-risk patients from the bundling systems, or make appropriate adjustments in reimbursement based on risk.

Effect of Post-Operative Toradol Administration on Bone Healing After Ankle Fracture Fixation

Category: Ankle, Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Ketorolac has been reported to delay bone healing when administered after spine surgery, and there is hesitancy to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) in the fracture setting despite its reliable ability to relieve surgical pain. The effect of ketorolac administration after foot and ankle surgery has not been well-defined in the literature to date. The purpose of this study is to report clinical and radiographic outcomes for patients treated with a perioperative ketorolac regimen after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of ankle fractures. A secondary purpose is to determine whether there are other patient factors that affect radiographic healing in this population. We hypothesize that the time to radiographic healing with ketorolac use after ORIF of ankle fractures is no different than a historical control. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients that received perioperative ketorolac at the time of lateral malleolar, bimalleolar, and trimalleolar ankle ORIF by a single surgeon between 2010 and 2016 with minimum 4 months follow-up. Patients were prescribed 5 days of 10 mg ketorolac every 6 hours. Radiographs were evaluated independently by two blinded fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons to assess for radiographic healing of lateral malleolus, medial malleolus, and posterior malleolus fractures at 6, 12, and 16 weeks post-operatively. Two hundred and ninety-four patients were included with an average age of 50 years with 138 males (47%). Literature review was performed to determine an appropriate historical control of time to radiographic healing after ankle ORIF for comparison. Statistical analysis consisted of a linear mixed-effects regression which was performed to estimate the effect of time and covariates, taking into account repeated measurements on the same subject. Results: Radiographic healing was demonstrated by 16 weeks in 221 of 281 (79%) lateral malleolus fractures, 105 of 132 medial malleolus fractures (80%), and 53 of 57 (93%) posterior malleolus fractures (see Figure 1). Median healing times were 12, 11, and 6 weeks for lateral, medial, and posterior malleoli fractures respectively. There was no significant difference in time to radiographic healing of lateral malleolus when compared to a historical control of 16.7 weeks to union. Active tobacco use was an independent risk factor for delayed radiographic healing (p &lt; 0.05). Diabetes mellitus and age greater than 50 years were independent factors associated with faster healing of the lateral malleolus fractures (p &lt; 0.05). Rheumatoid arthritis, oral steroid use, and obesity had no effect on radiographic healing. Conclusion: Perioperative ketorolac use did not affect radiographic healing of ankle fractures after ORIF. As expected, active tobacco use was associated with slower radiographic healing. There is no evidence that ketorolac use further delayed union in smokers, but this may warrant further study. We unexpectedly identified diabetes mellitus and older age as factors associated with faster healing which also warrants further study. This is the first study to date examining the effect of ketorolac on radiographic time to union of ankle fractures. Further study may help determine whether ketorolac helps reduce opioid consumption and improve pain following ORIF of ankle fractures.

Ankle Arthroscopy for Diagnosis and Treatment of Full Thickness Cartilage Lesions in the Setting of Ankle Fracture

Category: Ankle, Arthroscopy, Sports Introduction/Purpose: Ankle fractures treated with anatomic open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) can still be associated with poor clinical outcomes. The presence of radiographically occult intra-articular chondral injury is a known entity, however the clinical relevance in the setting of ankle fractures is not well established. The purpose of this study aims to evaluate the prevalence of chondral lesions, in particular full thickness talar dome lesions, with concurrent arthroscopy in acute ankle fracture ORIF and determine if there is a correlation with patient and fracture characteristics. In addition, we aimed to evaluate the treatment effect on clinical outcomes to establish the role of concurrent arthroscopy in ankle fracture management. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted from prospectively collected registry data at the investigators’ institution from 2011 to 2016. All patients that underwent an acute ankle fracture ORIF with concurrent arthroscopy were identified. Patients with concomitant injuries were excluded. Baseline patient and fracture characteristics were recorded. Fracture type by the Lauge-Hansen classification as well as by anatomic location were determined. Charts were reviewed to determine the prevalence and grade of chondral lesions. The treatment performed for each chondral lesion was determined. Clinical outcomes with a minimum of one year follow up were assessed using the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). Results: One hundred and sixteen consecutive patients undergoing acute ankle fracture ORIF with concurrent arthroscopy were included. A chondral lesion was identified in 78% (90/116). Of those, a Grade IV full thickness talar dome chondral lesion was identified in 43% (39/90). Patient age was a significant predictor, with patients less than thirty being less likely to have a chondral injury compared to those greater than thirty (59% vs 85%, p=0.0077). Of the patients that sustained a dislocation at the time of injury, 100% had a chondral lesion which was statistically significant (p=0.039). Patients with complete syndesmosis disruption and instability were also more likely to have a chondral lesion (96% vs 73%, p=0.013). Patients with chondral lesions had statistically significant worse clinical outcomes than those without (Table). Conclusion: Arthroscopy performed concomitantly with ankle ORIF is useful in diagnosing chondral injuries. In particular, full thickness talar dome chondral lesions are quite common. Increased fracture severity, as indicated by the presence of a dislocation at presentation, and a syndesmotic injury may be more likely to present with a chondral lesion and thus should raise suspicion and prompt evaluation. The presence of a concurrent talar chondral injury has a negative impact on clinical outcomes. Concurrent arthroscopy allows for simultaneous diagnosis and acute treatment of full thickness talar lesions.

Syndesmotic Malreduction after Ankle ORIF; Is Radiography Sufficient?

Ankle fractures, especially those resulting from external rotation mechanisms are associated with injury to the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis. Some authors have recommended performing CT scanning after open ankle surgery to evaluate the reduction of syndesmosis. In this current study, we aimed to investigate the sensitivity of plain radiography in diagnosing syndesmosis malreduction after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in patients with ankle fractures. Thirty patients with ankle fractures participated in this prospective study. ORIFs were performed with respect to all of the technical guidelines shown in orthopedic literature for exact syndesmosis reduction, such as fibular length and proper settings. In the operating room, plain radiography was performed in anteroposterior, mortise and lateral views to assess whether syndesmosis was malreduced. If malreduction was detected, the patient was revised. As the gold standard, patients underwent postoperative bilateral CT scanning to investigate the syndesmosis reduction which was then compared to the healthy side. Finally, the sensitivity of plain radiography in the diagnosis of syndesmosis malreduction was determined by comparing this method to CT scanning. In both of the methods we did not find any patient with syndesmosis malreduction. Hence, the sensitivity of plain radiography was determined 100%. Based on our findings, there is no need to perform CT scanning to evaluate syndesmosis reduction after ankle ORIF in patients with ankle fractures. Plain radiography is sufficient and has satisfactory sensitivity in these patients.

Impact of intermittent pneumatic foot pumps on delay to surgery following ankle fracture

Ankle fractures requiring open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) are common and place considerable burden on inpatient beds. ORIF cannot be performed once the associated swelling is too excessive to permit tension-free wound closure. Where ORIF cannot be performed before the onset of swelling in the first 24-48h, patients typically require up to 7 days of inpatient bed-rest and elevation to reduce swelling to an acceptable level for ORIF. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether delay to ORIF could be reduced with the pre-operative application of an intermittent pneumatic foot pump (IPF). These devices were designed as anti-embolic adjuncts, but have also been shown to be effective in the reduction of swelling. We compared 12 patients managed with an IPF to 12 matched historical controls who were not. No previous studies have addressed this question in unselected patients requiring ankle ORIF. We performed a retrospective, controlled, before and after study of 24 patients who underwent ankle ORIF at our orthopaedic unit. Foot pumps were applied in the Accident and Emergency Department to ankle fracture patients requiring admission, and kept in place until ORIF. Data was collected from patient case notes for all patients. Patients were matched for age, gender, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) Grade, and pre-injury mobility. The primary outcome measure was time to surgery. We also recorded total hospital stay, and calculated cost savings. Patients managed with IPFs had a statistically significant 50% reduction in time from presentation to surgery compared to those managed without (p=0.024), and had a reduced hospital stay (p=0.116). This resulted in a net saving of £10,480 (£953 per patient). We conclude that foot pumps reduce the time to surgery and total hospital stay of patients requiring ankle ORIF, and are cost effective.