A Clinical Study of the Ankle Fracture

Cho, Jae Lim; Kim, Kwang Hoe; Kim, Tae Seung; Song, Joon Min

Abstract

The ankle is a complex, weight bearing joint consisting of tibia, fibula, talus, and many soft tissue structures, which play an important role biomechanically. The injuries to the ankle joint include not only fractures of bone but significant injuries of ligaments and other soft tissues. It is very important to understand the mechanisms of trauma in order to make definite diagnosis and proper treatment. The author' analysed 127 eases(126 patients) of the ankle fractures which were admitted and treated in Orthopaedic Department,Hanyang University Hospital from January 1978 to December 1985. The results obtained from this study were as follows: 1. Of the 127 cases, male was 90 cases(70.87%), female was 37 cases(29.13%), and average age of the patients was 37.6 years. 2. Open fractures were 12 cases(9.4%) and closed fractures were 115 cases(90.6%). 3. According to the classification of Lauge-Hansen, the most common type of the ankle fracture was supination-external rotation type (35.43%). 4. Of the 127 cases, 63 cases were treated by closed reduction and 64 cases by open reduction. 5. The average period of the cast immobilization after open reduction was 7.8 weeks, where as that of closed reduction was 10.5 weeks. 6. According to clinical and radiological assessment of the result of the treatment, open reduction was better than closed reduction. 7. The best result of the treatment was noticed in supination-adduction type, according to the classification of Lauge-Hansen. 8. Accurate reduction and rigid internal fixation of the fractured lateral malleolus and distal fibuIa was important in treatment of the ankle fracture.