Predictive value of different injured components in ankle fractures

Injuries of the medial ankle side or the posterior tibial margin do not nec essarily predict a negative outcome in ankle fractures, as shown in this co mprehensive retrospective study on 342 consecutive patients. A negative pre dictive value results from the combination of different injured ankle compo nents. Clinical and radiological results correlate well with each other and with the severity of the fracture. They deteriorate according to the numbe r of injured ankle components. Thickening of the soft tissues most often re sults from complex injuries. It leads to a decrease in range of motion and therefore determines the clinical outcome. Eighty-nine percent of the patie nts with a personal follow-up and 94% of those with a written investigation had good to very good results, which represent the upper range of other pr esentations. This can be achieved by a subtle surgical technique with exact anatomic reduction including primary treatment of at least the severe inju ries within the first few hours after trauma. Complications occurred in 9% of cases, which coincides with the findings of other authors. Especially el derly and obese patients are at higher risk.