Posterior malleolus fracture fixation in ankle injuries: A clinical study

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Posterior Malleolar fractures are relatively rare and a part of complex ankle injuries. Trimalleolar fractures affect the stability of the weight-bearing ankle joint. Management of posterior malleolar fractures is a challenge. Aims: This study aimed to examine the radiological and clinical outcomes of the management of posterior malleolar fractures in adults. Settings and Design: This is an original research retrospective study Materials and Methods: Eleven patients underwent fixation of ankle fractures with fixation of posterior malleolus as needed using screws or plates. Surgical outcomes were examined in follow-up with an average follow-up of 21 months using the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) score and with radiological correlation at each follow-up. Results: In our series, 27% of patients had 44B type injury and 73% of patients had 44C type injury as per AO/ OTA classification. The average AOFAS score was 90.45 for the series and the score for patients treated with direct reduction of the fragment was better than for those treated with indirect reduction. The average score for patients managed with screws was better than for those treated with plates in our series. 82% of patients showed excellent to good outcomes with one patient having an infection and one patient having moderate to severe pain. Conclusion: Anatomical reduction of posterior malleolar fragment leads to better long-term functional outcomes and a stable ankle joint with early mobilization.