A Clinical Study of the Ankle Fractures

Roh, Kwon Jae; Oh, Seung Hwan; Kim, Kwang Duk; Han, Wan Su

Abstract

A clinical analysis was done on 129 patients (131 cases) of the ankle fractures that were admitted and treated in Orthopedic Department, Inchon Christian Hospital from January 1973 to December 1980. The following results were obtained: l. Of the 129 patients, male was 104 patients and female 25 patients, the average age of the patients was 37. 2. The main cause of the injuries was traffic accident (38.2%), and the remain causes were industrial accident (28.2%), fall down (18.3%), slip down (11.5%), and sports injury (3.8%) in order. 3. The most common type by Lauge-Hansen classification was supination-external rotation type (37.4%). 4. In method of treatment, operative treatment was done in 72 cases and nonoperative in 59 cases. 5 The average duration of the cast immobilization in nonoperative treatment was 8 weeks and operative 7 weeks. 6. The better result was obtained by operative treatment than nonoperative one. 7. The most poor result was noticed in pronation-external rotation type according to Lauge-Hansen classification. 8. We agree that the accurate reduction of the lateral malleolus make the talus in good anatomic position in ankle joint. 9. We agree that Lauge-Hansen classification is useful in diagnosis and treatment of ankle fracture.