The Value of Additional Gravity Stress Radiographs for Decision Making in the Treatment of Isolated Type B Distal Fibular Fractures

2021 ◽  
pp. 107110072110010
Author(s):  
Claar A. T. van Leeuwen ◽  
Roderick W. J. J. van Dorst ◽  
Pieta Krijnen ◽  
Inger B. Schipper ◽  
Jochem M. Hoogendoorn

Background: Prior to treatment decisions concerning isolated Weber type B ankle fractures, assessment of the stability of the ankle joint is mandatory. The gravity stress (GS) radiograph is a radiographic tool to determine stability. We hypothesized that this additional GS radiograph would lead to fewer operative treatments by applying the criterion of operative treatment when medial clear space (MCS) > superior clear space (SCS) + 2 mm on the GS radiograph, compared with the nonstressed mortise view criteria of advising operative treatment in case of MCS > SCS + 1 mm. Methods: This retrospective comparative cohort study analyzed 343 patients aged between 18 and 70 years with an isolated Weber type B ankle fracture diagnosed at the emergency department between January 2014 and December 2019. The cohort was divided into 2 groups based on whether an additional GS radiograph was performed. Group I consisted of 151 patients in whom a regular mortise and lateral radiograph were performed. Group II comprised 192 patients, with an additional GS radiograph. Primary outcome was type of treatment (conservative vs operative). Secondary outcomes were patient-reported functional outcomes and pain. Results: Baseline characteristics of both groups did not differ. In group I, surgery was performed in 60 patients (39.7%) compared with 108 patients (56.3%) in group II ( P = .002). In the operatively treated patients, the mean MCS on regular mortise view was significantly smaller in patients in whom an additional GS radiograph was performed compared to patients without an additional GS radiograph (4.1 mm vs 5.2 mm, P < .001). Mean Olerud-Molander Ankle Score and mean visual analog scale (VAS) for pain did not differ significantly between groups I and II. Conclusions: Contrary to what was hypothesized, the introduction of an additional gravity stress radiograph, by which operative treatment was indicated if the MCS was wider than the SCS + 2 mm, did not result in reduced operative treatment of Weber type B ankle fractures when operative treatment was indicated for MCS > SCS + 1 mm on non-gravity stress radiographs. Level of Evidence: Level III: retrospective comparative study.

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-20
Author(s):  
Dmitriy G. Amarantov ◽  
Mikhail F. Zarivchatsky ◽  
Andrey A. Kholodar ◽  
Andrey S. Nagaev ◽  
Oleg S. Gudkov

Aim. To improve the results of treatment in patients with thoracoabdominal injuries (TAI) by means of creating the method of determining indications for the use of classical or endoscopic surgeries in respect of this pathology. Materials and methods. Seventy-six sufferers from TAI were divided into 2 groups. Results. The method of successive determination of indications for the use of classical or endoscopic surgeries in patients with TAI was created on the basis of treatment of 41 (53.95 %) patients of group II. This method was used to treat 35 (46.05 %) patients of group I. Conclusions. Rational approach to the choice between the use of advantages of classical and endoscopic surgeries depending on characteristics of clinical situation permitted to elevate the quality of treatment in patients with TAI.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011418S0039
Author(s):  
Paul Rai ◽  
Jitendra Mangwani

Category: Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is a common procedure to stabilise unstable ankle fractures. Anatomical reduction and stable fixation is desirable to achieve good clinical and radiological outcome after this injury. This prospective study examines the correlation between mid-term patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) and quality of fracture reduction of adult patients with ankle fractures treated with ORIF. Methods: A total of 100 patients with unstable ankle fracture who underwent ORIF were prospectively entered into the study between Nov 2013 to Oct 2014. Exclusion criteria were: age <18 years, pathological or open fractures and patients with cognitive impairment. Two independent observers assessed fracture patterns and quality of reduction. Fixations were analysed using Pettrone’s criteria including assessment of fracture displacement, medial clear space and tibiofibular overlap. Patients were followed up at two years post-operatively with postal questionnaires. Validated PROMs, Olerud-Molander Score (OMAS) and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) were used. For both scores a higher number indicated a better result. Co-morbidities and infection data were collated from Hospital records. Results: At 2 years post-op there were 5 deceased patients,17 did not have accessible radiographs and there was a 65% response rate to questionnaires. 46 patients were included in the final study group with a mean age of 45 (16-90). There was 1 Weber A fracture, 26 Weber B, 16 Weber C and 3 Medial malleolus fractures. 7% had Diabetes Mellitus, 22% were smokers. The mean OMAS score was 71.4(SD26.9) and LEFS score 56.7(SD25.9). There was no significant difference in PROM scores when fracture fragment reduction was optimised. There was a significant improvement in PROMs with low medial clear space and high tibiofibular overlap. Conclusion: This study reports a good correlation between quality of reduction and favourable PROMs at 2 years post ORIF ankle fracture. Reduced medial clear space and increased tibiofibular overlap were most associated with good outcome scores. Anatomical reduction of fracture fragments did not appear to affect PROMs on its own. There was very little infection in this cohort to confound the results. We would advise careful consideration of medial clear space and tibiofibular overlap in particular at time of fixation of unstable ankle fractures.


VASA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-310
Author(s):  
Dilixiati Siti ◽  
Asiya Abudesimu ◽  
Xiaojie Ma ◽  
Lei Yang ◽  
Xiang Ma ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: We investigated the prevalence of recurrent pain and its relationship with in-hospital mortality in acute aortic dissection (AAD). Patients and methods: Between 2011 and 2016, 234 AAD patients were selected. Recurrent pain was defined as a mean of VAS > 3, within 48 hours following hospital admission or before emergency operation. Patients with and without recurrent pain were divided into group I and group II, respectively into type A AAD and type B AAD patients. Our primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Results: The incidence of recurrent pain was 24.4 % in AAD patients. Incidence of recurrent pain was higher in type A AAD patients than type B AAD patients (48.9 vs. 9.6 %). Overall in-hospital mortality was 25.6 %. Type A AAD had a higher in-hospital mortality than type B AAD patients (47.7 vs. 12.3 %). Group I had significantly higher in-hospital mortality than group II (type A: 79.1 vs. 17.8 %; type B: 57.1 vs. 7.6 %, all P < 0.001), as was the case with medical managed patients (type A: 72.1 vs. 13.3 %; type B: 35.7 vs. 2.3 %, all P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that use of one drug alone and waist pain were predictive factors for recurrent pain in type A AAD and type A AAD patients, respectively (OR 3.686, 95 % CI: 1.103~12.316, P = 0.034 and OR 14.010, 95 % CI: 2.481~79.103, P = 0.003). Recurrent pains were the risk factors (type A: OR 11.096, 95 % CI: 3.057~40.280, P < 0.001; type B: OR 14.412, 95 % CI: 3.662~56.723, P < 0.001), while invasive interventions were protective (type A: OR 0.133, 95 % CI: 0.035~0.507, P < 0.001; type B: OR 0.334, 95 % CI: 0.120~0.929, P = 0.036) for in-hospital mortality in AAD patients. Conclusions: Approximately one-fourth of AAD patients presented with recurrent pains, which might increase in-hospital mortality. Thus, interventional strategies at early stages are important.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 030006052093975
Author(s):  
Qiang Huang ◽  
Yongxing Cao ◽  
Chonglin Yang ◽  
Xingchen Li ◽  
Yangbo Xu ◽  
...  

Objective This study was performed to analyze the clinical value of X-ray, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations for the diagnosis of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injuries in Weber type B ankle fractures with reference to the ankle arthroscopic findings. Methods This retrospective clinical study involved 52 patients with type B ankle fractures from August 2014 to January 2018. We analyzed the patients’ preoperative imaging data and judged the stability of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis using X-ray, CT, and MRI examinations. We also evaluated the syndesmosis stability with arthroscopy both statically and dynamically. Results With the arthroscopic findings as the standard, the sensitivity of X-ray for diagnosing syndesmosis instability was 52.8%, the specificity was 100%, and the diagnostic efficiency was 67.3%. The sensitivity of CT for diagnosing syndesmosis instability was 77.8%, the specificity was 100%, and the diagnostic efficiency was 84.6%. The sensitivity of MRI for diagnosing syndesmosis instability was 100%, the specificity was 81.3%, and the diagnostic efficiency was 94.2%. Conclusion This study suggests that an arthroscopic examination may be recommended when the X-ray or CT features are different from the MRI findings while diagnosing tibiofibular syndesmosis instability in Weber type B malleolar fractures.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 247301141989086
Author(s):  
Sohail Yousaf ◽  
Alan Saleh ◽  
Aashish Ahluwalia ◽  
Shahnawaz Haleem ◽  
Zara Hayat ◽  
...  

Background: Isolated distal fibular fractures resulting from supination external rotation (SER) injuries without evidence of obvious talar shift on standard radiographs present a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians. The status of the deep deltoid ligament, the main stabilizer of the ankle joint, is assessed by an increase in medial clear space (MCS) on radiographs. Therefore, these injuries can be either stable or unstable. In recent years, considerable clinical and research efforts have been made to determine ankle stability following SER fracture. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate and compare the role of different stress radiograph modalities in assessing stability of the ankle with SER fractures with no obvious talar subluxation on standard radiographs. Methods: The electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Ovid, Cochrane Central, CINAHL, and Google Scholar were searched from January 2000 to January 2018 to identify literature relating to radiologic assessment of stability of SER ankle fractures. Results: Our literature search revealed 10 peer-reviewed articles that fulfilled inclusion criteria. This yielded a total of 698 patients. The systematic review found 3 broad categories of radiographic investigations in the assessment of ankle joint stability: external rotation (ER) stress radiographs, gravity stress views (GSV), and weightbearing (WB) radiographs. Proponents of WB radiographs have demonstrated how axial load can normalize ankle joint alignment in cases of proven instability. There was a consistently high grade of evidence for using a medial clear space (MCS) value of more than 4 to 5 mm to indicate an unstable ankle following SER fracture. Conclusion: In conclusion, the results of this systematic review support an MCS value of less than 4 to 5 mm as a good indicator of stability, regardless of choice of stress imaging modality. These patients can be allowed early weightbearing with expected good functional outcomes. Recent published literature favors WB stress radiographs as a reliable and safe technique for assessing stability in SER ankle fractures. However, it should be kept in mind that this is based on studies with relatively low grades of evidence. Level of Evidence: Level II, systematic review of variable quality studies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-11
Author(s):  
Isabel Rosa ◽  
Joaquim Rodeia ◽  
Pedro Xavier Fernandes ◽  
Raquel Teixeira ◽  
Hugo Ribeiro ◽  
...  

Introduction: The aims were to assess residual deltoid ligament instability after lateral malleolus osteosynthesis and to compare the outcomes of deltoid suture and syndesmotic fixation. Methods: A consecutive series of 65 eligible patients with a displaced or minimally displaced fibula fracture identified on a stress radiograph were prospectively enrolled. The patients were randomized into two groups, namely, group I (deltoid repair) and group II (syndesmotic fixation). We assessed the competence of the deltoid ligament intraoperatively using a manual stress test. Only the patients with residual medial instability (Medial Clear Space greater than 4 mm) were randomly assigned for treatment by deltoid ligament repair with anchor or syndesmotic fixation. Results: Of all the patients, 60 (92.2%) had positive preoperative manual stress test results. After fracture osteosynthesis, the test results were still positive in 13 (21.6%) patients, 8 (13.3%) patients from group I, both superficial and deep layers sutured with a bone anchor, and 5 patients (8.3%) from group II, stabilized with a syndesmotic 4-cortical screw. At the end of the surgery, a new manual stress test was performed, which proved stability in all the patients. The average follow-up period was 23.5 months. In groups I and II, the AOFAS scores were 95 and 93, the EQ-5D measures were 0.758 and 0.743, the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were 16.7 and 19.2, and the Medial Clear Space values were 2.7 ± 0.5 mm and 2.6 ± 0.4 mm, respectively, without statistically significant differences. Conclusion: In 21.6% of cases, residual medial instability persisted after osteosynthesis of the lateral malleolus. The deltoid repair and syndesmotic fixation groups showed similar functional and radiological outcomes. Level of Evidence II; Therapeutic Studies; Prospective Comparative Study.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document