Modern aspects of the ankle fracture treatment

Abstract

The ankle fractures continue to be a topical issue in orthopedic surgery. X-ray diagnostics, but primarily also other modem diagnostic procedures such as CT, MRI, and arthroscopy enable detection of not only fractures but also osteocartilaginous fractures and soft-tissue ligamentary lesions, which are frequent causes of pain and instability of the ankle. The key segment is the posterio-lateral segment and tibio-fibular syndesmosis whose integrity is sometimes only surgically establishable. In the ankle treatment, stable fixation - since recently by means of resorptive osteofixation materials - and early rehabilitation of the operated ankle are aimed at. The open and pylon fractures, as the most severe forms of ankle fractures, are treated by external fixation with minimum internal fixation (hybrid fixation) of the ankle with conversion of the rigid into a dynamic (articulated) external fixator enabling movement and nutrition of the damaged articular cartilage.