ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To identify the fracture configuration and treatment results for patients with triplane and Tillaux fractures in the ankle joint. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 14 patients with a more than one year follow-up. This study investigated the fracture configuration, concomitant fibula fracture, treatment methods and complications. The treatment outcomes were analyzed using modified Weber protocol. RESULTS: Among the 14 cases, 11 were triplane fractures and 3 were Tillaux fractures. Seven were two part triplane fractures, and 4 were three part triplane fractures. Eight were lateral triplane fractures, and 3 were medial triplane fractures. A fibula fracture was accompanied by 7. The fibular fracture comprised of oblique fractures in all cases. A closed and open reduction was performed in 6 and 8 cases, respectively. All but one showed excellent treatment outcomes at the final follow-up. Traumatic arthritis developed in 1 case. CONCLUSIONS: Precisely detecting the fracture configuration by computed tomography and understanding the injury mechanism have greatly improved the outcomes of triplane fractures and Tillaux fractures of the ankle in adolescent patients.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Ankle Injuries/diagnosis , Arthroscopy , Fracture Fixation, Internal , Intra-Articular Fractures/diagnosis , Tibial Fractures/diagnosis , Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
The juvenile Tillaux fracture and the triplane fracture of the distal end of the tibia in adolescents are considered uncommon injuries and the mechanism of both injuries has been uncertain. It has been postulated that both fractures probably are caused by external rotation of the foot. We atempted to evaluate the mechanism of injury as well as to conform the role of the external rotation of the foot for the juvenile Tillaux fracture and triplane fracture. From 1983 to 1988 at the department of orthopedic surgery, college of medicine, Hallym University, we evaluated the cases of nine adolescent patients with the juvenile Tillaux fracture and nine patients with the triplane fracture of the distal tibial epiphysis. We confirmed that external rotation force produced the triplane fracture as well as juvenile Tillaux fracture. And we could postulate that the triplane fracture needed further external rotation force, less closure of the distal tibial epiphysis, and more complicated mechanism of injury than the juvenile Tillaux fracture. The knowledge of these mechanism of injury enables us to use a rational manipulative approach to reduce these fractures.