DISTAL TIBIOFIBULAR SYNOSTOSIS AFTER ANKLE FRACTURE - A 14-YEAR FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

Over an eight-year period up to 1983, a total of 322 consecutive patie nts had operations for ankle fractures; 176 were Weber type B and 128 type C, We were able to review 230 of these patients after a mean foll ow-up of six years (1 to 11) including 128 with Weber B and 102 with W eber C fractures. We used an ankle score which combined symptoms and c linical and radiological findings, with a maximum score of 100 points. The mean score for all 230 was 92 (68 to 100). Fifteen of these patie nts had developed a distal synostosis between the tibia and fibula, th ree after a Weber B and 12 after a Weber C fracture, In 13 of these 15 ankles the synostosis had been visible radiologically within three mo nths of the operation. In the other two there had been radiologically visible calcification at the three-month follow-up. In 1993, we were a ble to review nine of the 15 patients with synostosis using the same s coring system, At a mean follow-up of 14 years (12 to 18) the mean sco re for those with synostosis was 91 (71 to 100), much the same as this group's previous score and the mean score of the whole group of opera ted patients. We conclude that distal tibiofibular synostosis after an kle fracture usually causes few symptoms and does not generally requir e any treatment.