The irreducible ankle dislocation: beware of the Bosworth injury

Abstract

A luxation fracture of the ankle characterized by a dislocation of the fibula posterior to the tibial tubercle is defined as a Bosworth injury. The Bosworth fracture is a frequently overlooked complex injury of the ankle joint. Associated injuries such as a pilon fracture and posterior malleolus fracture have rarely been reported. In the case of a closed irreducible ankle fracture dislocation, Bosworth injuries should be considered as a potential cause. This article reports the course, treatment and clinical outcome 12 months after trauma of a Bosworth fracture with associated impaction of the posteromedial pilon and fracture of the posterior malleolus. To date, there are only few reports of comparable injuries in the German language literature.