Surgical Treatment of Fractures of the Ankle / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

The ankle is an important joint supporting the entire musculoskeletal system during standing and walking. Current opinion has emphasized necessity of anatomical reduction and rigid internal fixation for a displaced or unstable fracture of the ankle. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation of the adequate surgical operative methods and postoperative care with prognosis. The authors analysed 104 cases of ankle fracture, treated operatively in Department of Orthopedic Surgery of Dae-Han Hospital from January 1991 to December 1994, followed up more than one year. The results were as follows 1. According to the classification of Lauge-Hansen and Danis-Weber, the most common type was supination-external rotation and type B, respectively. 2. The most common cause of injury was slip down and the others were traffic accident, fall down and direct trauma. 3. According to the criteria of Meyer, the result of treatment was good or excellent in 94 cases (90.4%) radiologically and in 91 cases (87.5%) clinically. 4. The complications were 5 cases of traumatic arthritis, 3 cases of malunion, 2 cases of non-union and 1 case of infection. 5. The early ROM exercise after accurate reduction and rigid internal fixation was very important in treatment of fracture of the ankle.