[Ankle fractures in older patients : What should we do differently?]

Trends of incidence and treatment strategies for operatively treated distal fibula fractures from 2005 to 2019: a nationwide register analysis

INTRODUCTION

Valid epidemiological data about distal fibular fractures and their treatment strategies are missing. Innovative osteosynthesis techniques were introduced and improved during the past 15 years. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiologic development and the implementation of new treatment strategies in a nationwide register in Germany over a period of 15 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data of the German Federal Statistical Office from 2005 until 2019 were screened. Adults with a fracture of the distal fibula were included. Data were separated for gender, age and treatment strategy.

RESULTS

During the past 15 years, there was a steady annual incidence of distal fibula fractures of 74 ± 32 per 100,000 people without any significant changes (p = 0.436). 60.1% ± 0.6% of all fractures occurred in females. The annual incidence for male was nearly constant over the different age groups, whereas for female, there was a clear increase in incidence above the age of 40. Whereas 66% of fractures in between 20 and 30 years of age occurred in male, approximately 70% of fractures above the age of 60 occurred in females. The relative quantity of locking plates increased from 2% in 2005 to 34% in 2019. In 2019, only 1.02% of the patients were operated with an intramedullary nail.

CONCLUSIONS

Operatively treated distal fibular fractures revealed an age dependent increase in incidence in postmenopausal women compared to younger females. Regarding the treatment strategy, there was an increase in application of locking plates. The data implicate a typical fragility fracture related age and gender distribution for distal fibula fractures.

Similar Clinical Outcome in Locking and Conventional Plate Osteosynthesis for the Treatment of AO 44-B2 Ankle Fractures

INTRODUCTION

Biomechanical studies have proved that locking plates have better primary stability besides versatility regarding fracture pattern while reducing bone contact and bridging the gap, whereas conventional nonlocking plates (plus lag screw) depend on bone-plate compression. The clinical benefit of locking plates over nonlocking plates remains unanswered, however. Therefore, this retrospective cohort study was set up to test the hypothesis that the use of locking plates for unstable ankle fractures will result in fewer re-displacements, superior bony healing, and functional and clinical outcomes better than observed in the nonlocking cohort.

METHODS

Bimalleolar ankle fractures (AO 44-B2) without syndesmotic injury treated with either a locking or a nonlocking plate were included. Groups were compared for complications, bone healing, secondary dislocation, progressions of osteoarthritis, and clinical outcome using patient-reported outcome measures.

RESULTS

Data revealed no clinical outcome differences (Olerud-Molander Ankle Score: nonlocking 88.2 ± 14.4, locking 88.8 ± 12.3, P = .69, robust two 1-sided test for equality (RTOST): P = .03; American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Score: nonlocking 91.2 ± 12.9, locking 91.8 ± 11.3, P = .96, RTOST: P = .04). Nevertheless, a significant postoperative progression of osteoarthritis was detected in both groups (P = .04). This was independent of implant (P = .16). Although difference was not significant, locking plates were preferred in older (P = .78) and sicker patients (P = .63) and in cases with severer osteoarthritis (P = .16), and were associated with a higher complication rate (P = .42) and secondary dislocation (nonlocking 9.4%, locking 18.2%; P = .42). Re-displacement, however, was not a compelling reason for revision.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study shows statistically significant equality of both types of implants. Contrary to our expectation, locking plates seemed to be associated with a higher risk for re-displacement. Overall, the use of either locking or nonlocking plates for unstable AO 44-B2 fractures is safe and successful despite significant progression of osteoarthritis.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III, Retrospective observational cohort study.

[Comparison of the effectiveness of the posterior malleolus fixed or not on treatment of different Haraguchi's classification of posterior malleolus fractures]

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of fixation the posterior malleolus or not to treat different Haraguchi's classification of posterior malleolus fractures.

Methods

The clinical data of 86 trimalleolar fracture patients who were admitted between January 2015 and September 2019 and met the selection criteria were retrospectively reviewed. There were 29 males and 57 females; the age ranged from 26 to 82 years with a mean age of 55.2 years. According to Haraguchi's classification, 38 patients were in type Ⅰ group, 30 patients in type Ⅱ group, and 18 patients in type Ⅲ group. There was no significant difference in the general data such as gender, age, and fracture location among the 3 groups ( P>0.05). The fixation of the posterior malleolus was performed in 23, 21, and 5 patients in type Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ groups, respectively. The operation time, fracture healing time, full weight-bearing time, postoperative joint flatness, and joint degeneration degree of the patients in each group were recorded and compared. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle and hindfoot score was used to evaluate ankle function, including pain, quality of daily life, joint range of motion, and joint stability. The AOFAS scores were compared between fixation and non-fixation groups in each group.

Results

The procedure was successfully completed by all patients in each group, and there was no significant difference in operation time ( F=3.677, P=0.159). All patients were followed up 12-36 months with a mean time of 16.8 months. At last follow-up, 6 patients were found to have suboptimal ankle planarity, including 2 patients (5.3%) in the type Ⅰ group and 4 patients (13.3%) in the type Ⅱ group, with no significant difference between groups ( χ ²=6.566, P=0.161). The ankle joints of all the patients in each group showed mild degeneration; the fractures all healed well and no delayed union or nonunion occurred. There was no significant difference in the fracture healing time and full weight-bearing time between groups ( P>0.05). No complications such as incision infection, fracture displacement, or plate screw loosening and fracture occurred during follow-up. At last follow-up, the total scores and pain scores of the AOFAS scores in the type Ⅱ group were significantly lower than those in the type Ⅰand Ⅲ groups ( P<0.05), there was no significant difference between groups in the scores for the quality of daily life, joint range of motion, and joint stability between groups ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference in any of the scores between the unfixed and fixed groups, except for the pain and quality of daily life scores, which were significantly lower ( P<0.05) in the unfixed group of type Ⅱ group than the fixed group.

Conclusion

Haraguchi type Ⅱ posterior malleolus fractures have a worse prognosis than types Ⅰ and Ⅲ fractures, especially in terms of postoperative pain, which can be significantly improved by fixing the posterior malleolus; the presence or absence of posterior malleolus fixation in types Ⅰ and Ⅲ has less influence on prognosis.