Treatment of an open medial tibiotalar dislocation with no associated fracture

A Professional Basketball Player Who Suffered an Open Ankle Dislocation Without an Associated Fracture Achieves His Prior Performance Level Three Months Later

An ankle dislocation without an accompanying fracture is extremely rare, and an open ankle dislocation is even rarer. Due to its rarity, there is no consensus on the optimal treatment strategy. A professional basketball player (a 28-year-old male) incurred an open ankle dislocation (with no accompanying fracture) during a basketball game due to plantar flexion and inversion of his ankle during the transition from dashing to stop motion. The same day, an emergency reduction under spinal anesthesia was performed with primary closure of the wound. Considering the complications of infection and decreased ankle range of motion (ROM), primary ligament repair was not performed. He was treated conservatively with cast immobilization for four weeks, and early weight-bearing and ROM exercises were initiated. At six weeks postoperatively, stress radiography did not reveal ankle instability. After three months of conservative treatment, the patient was able to play basketball at his previous performance level. Four weeks of cast immobilization without ligament repair plus early rehabilitation with weight-bearing and ROM exercises allowed for an early return without complications. Even in high-level athletes, open ankle dislocation without an accompanying fracture can be treated adequately with conservative therapy.

Pure Open Ankle Dislocation Leading to Isolated Lateral Ligament Complex Tear: A Rare Case

Pure open ankle dislocation is a rare orthopedic emergency characterized by the absence of associated bony lesions, necessitating prompt and immediate management to prevent disastrous complications. This article details a distinctive case of open pure ankle dislocation in an 18-year-old female following a motorcycle accident, resulting in a 6-cm wound and a dislocated left ankle with a concurrent tear of the anterior talofibular ligament and calcaneofibular ligament. Immediate reduction under sedation was performed, followed by intensive debridement and ligament repair in the operating room. Postoperatively, the patient received antibiotic coverage for five days and underwent immobilization for six weeks. At the 18-month follow-up, the patient exhibited a complete range of motion with no reported pain or instability. This study contributes to the existing literature by presenting a successful treatment paradigm, providing valuable insights for practitioners encountering similar cases.

Pure Ankle Dislocation: A Case Report and a Narrative Literature Review

Pure dislocation of the ankle is an extremely rare injury accounting for only 0.065% of all ankle injuries and 0.46% of all ankle dislocations. The mechanism of the injury generally consists of high-energy trauma which is associated with a combination of plantar flexion and inversion or eversion of the foot. We present a case of a 22-year-old male patient who sustained a closed pure ankle dislocation after a fall from a small height. He was treated conservatively with closed reduction and circumferential cast immobilization for six weeks, followed by a functional rehabilitation program. The patient presented to the emergency department with an acutely painful and deformed right ankle after falling from a height of 1 m (stairs). Radiographs showed a posteromedial ankle dislocation without fracture. Urgent closed reduction of the dislocation was performed and a posterior below-knee back slab was applied to immobilize the ankle. Dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial arteries were intact. Check X-rays confirmed proper reduction of the ankle joint. Post reduction computed tomography (CT) scan did not show any associated fractures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a multiligamentous ankle injury and a small osteochondral lesion of the anteromedial talar dome. The back slab was changed to a below-knee circular cast two weeks later, as soon as the soft tissue swelling subsided. The cast was removed at the six-week follow-up and physiotherapy was initiated in order to gain functional rehabilitation and improve the range of motion. At the final follow-up (12 months), the ankle range of motion (ROM) was the same as the pre-injury status and the patient was able to return to his work. Pure ankle dislocation is a rare injury. A satisfactory outcome can be expected, provided that the appropriate conservative treatment followed by a strict rehabilitation protocol is applied.

Pure ligamentous ankle dislocation: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Pure ankle dislocation is a rare injury, and this injury is an orthopedic emergency requiring immediate reduction. In more common circumstances, this injury is usually associated with malleolar fractures. The standardized treatment protocol is still deficient.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of a 33-year-old woman who presented with an open ankle dislocation without concomitant malleolar fractures. Early extensive wound debridement, immediate reduction, and immobilization of the ankle joint using an external fixator were performed during the first surgery. During the second surgery, which was performed 3 weeks later, the medial and lateral ankle ligaments were repaired, and a suture tape internal brace was added. A good functional outcome with the American Foot and Ankle Society score of 87 was achieved at 1-year follow-up.

DISCUSSION

In an open dislocation with massive ligamentous injury, staged surgery could be performed to prevent deep infection, with extensive debridement and immobilization using an external fixator in the first stage and ligament repair in the second stage. An internal brace using a suture tape is an option for ligament repair if the remnant is not sufficient to be repaired, as in this case. Early range of motion exercises should be initiated after second-stage surgery to prevent stiffness.

CONCLUSION

Staged surgery using an external fixator and ligament repair using a suture tape and internal brace augmentation can be an effective option for a pure ligamentous ankle dislocation with an open wound and a poor remnant of ankle ligaments.

Retrospective analysis of treatment strategies and clinical outcome of isolated talar dislocations

Talar dislocations are rare injuries of the foot and ankle and require quick and decisive diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Evidence concerning the treatment and outcome of these injuries is sparse. The aim of this study was to analyze all talar dislocations of the last ten years treated in a large German level I trauma center in an effort to add to the experience on these injuries.

METHODS

All patients with a talar dislocation injury were retrospectively included. Medical reports, x-ray and computertomography scans were analyzed for the sex, age, trauma mechanism, and injury classifications as well as for the clinical outcome as measured by the Foot Function Index (FFI).

RESULTS

A total of 18 patients were included in this study: Luxatio pedis cum talo (n = 1), Luxatio tali totalis (n = 3), Luxatio pedis sub talo (n = 14). Analysis of the therapeutic algorithms revealed that only one patient was treated conservatively, the other 17 patients underwent operation. In most cases, stabilization was achieved using an external fixator and if necessary, the subtalar and talonavicular joints were temporarily stabilized using K-wires. The mean follow-up time was 4.25 years (2.05 SD) and the mean FFI-sum score 45.00 (42.26 SD). Two patients required subtalar fusion two years after the injury.

CONCLUSION

Isolated talar dislocations can have a good outcome and be effectively treated in the emergency setting by basic techniqes if neurovasular structures are not injured. Often, these injuries are associated with fractures of adjacent bones which then need complex reconstruction.

Treatment of open ankle dislocation without associated fractures in a young athlete using external fixation and ligament repair with suture tape augmentation

BACKGROUND

Ankle dislocation without fracture is an extremely rare injury because it is usually accompanied by concomitant malleolar fractures from the anatomical and mechanical viewpoints.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report the case of a 17-year-old woman who was injured while playing basketball. Her ankle was swollen and deformed. Plain X-ray revealed tibiotalar dislocation in the medial direction without any fractures. Immediate reduction and ligament repair using suture tape augmentation were performed.

CONCLUSIONS

At 5 months postoperatively, the patient returned to playing basketball without any complaints. After an additional 2 months, the patient participated and played in the Winter Cup 2019 (the national high school basketball tournament in Japan) at the previous performance level.

Pure Ankle Dislocation: A systematic review of the literature and estimation of incidence

BACKGROUND

Ankle dislocation without fracture is rare. We used electronic hospital records to determine the incidence of pure ankle dislocation and performed a systematic review of the literature to investigate the occurrence, treatment and outcome of this injury to better inform treating clinicians.

METHODS

A review of electronic medical records at a tertiary referral centre was conducted to estimate in incidence of pure ankle dislocation. Systematic review of the literature was undertaken according to PRISMA guidelines for the reporting of individual patient data. This identified 64 English language articles that included 18 case series, 45 case reports and 1 biomechanical cadaveric study. Data was extracted by standard form independently by 2 of the authors and descriptive statistics were used to describe results.

RESULTS

The estimated incidence of pure ankle dislocation is 0.065% (13/20,000) of presentations with an ankle injury or 0.46% (23/5000) of presentations with an ankle dislocation. Systematic review of English literature identified 154 cases and demonstrated that sporting accidents (31%) and motor vehicle accidents (30%) are the most common cause. 73% (112/154) of the cases occurred in males and 50% (77/154) were open. In 46% (71/154) of patients the direction of dislocation was posteromedial. 46% of patients had nonoperative treatment; ligamentous repair was described in 26% (37 patients). The mean period of immobilisation was just over 6 weeks (range 2-16 weeks). In most patients, good functional outcomes were described. The most common long-term complaint was decreased ankle range of motion (18%) (27/154). Ankle instability was rare (2.6%) (4/154) and not influenced by acute ligament repair (P=0.98).

CONCLUSION

Pure ankle dislocation is a rare injury. The literature reports that most injuries occur in sports and motor vehicle accidents. The majority of injuries treated with early reduction followed by a short period of immobilisation and functional rehabilitation have good clinical outcomes.

Fatal complication following pure ankle dislocation in a domestic setting: case report and review of the literature

Pure ankle dislocation is a rare event that primarily results from high-energy trauma. Predisposing anatomical factors such as talar hypoplasia, ligament laxity, and previous sprains may play a key role. This report presents the case of a 55-year-old man with fatal anterior and posterior tibial artery tears following a pure anterolateral dislocation of the right ankle. To the best of our knowledge, no such cases have previously been reported in the English-language literature.

Open Dislocation of Ankle without Fracture Treated with an External Fixator

Ankle dislocations are orthopedic emergencies that require immediate treatment to avoid neurovascular impairment. They are usually accompanied by one or more comminuted fractures of the ankle mortis. In rare circumstances, such as high-energy trauma, the ankle dislocations may not be accompanied by concomitant malleolar fractures and, thus, are named "pure ankle dislocations". We presented a very rare and interesting case of an open medial dislocation of the ankle without associated fracture in an 18-year-old man with no known predisposing risk factors. The patient was admitted to the emergency department after sustaining a catastrophic trampoline accident resulting in severe inversion of the right ankle. The patient was treated with an external fixator and was mobilized early in the post-surgical course. Despite initial presentation that revealed lack of posterior tibial pulse, the post-surgical course was uneventful, with full functional recovery and joint mobility. The primary goals of treatment are immediate reduction of the joint and relief of neurovascular stress. External fixation is a prompt, fairly easy treatment that one should keep in mind in pure ankle dislocations. Nonetheless, ligamentous restoration and early mobilization were the key elements as seen in our case for full functional recovery.

Open Axial and True Vertical Ankle Dislocation Without Malleolar Fractures: A Case Report

Tibiotalar dislocation is rare and usually associated with a high-velocity, high-energy impact or extreme sporting injuries. I describe complete tibiotalar dislocation from an unusual mechanism. A 22-year-old mechanic was sitting under a hydraulic lift when it began to leak, lowering the engine on which he was working onto his right lower thigh. This heavy load, without rotational force or high-velocity impact, was transmitted down his foreleg. Because his foot was fixed to the ground, the talus was proximally and vertically displaced, and the distal tibia was forced to the ground, beside his foot, and was contaminated with sand and grease. The circumferential ligament complexes and capsule were completely transected, but, despite a severely disrupted dorsal and capsular blood supply, talar vasculature remained adequate. In the emergency department, gentle traction restored impaired circulation. No malleolar fractures were seen. The wound was meticulously irrigated with saline and povidone-iodine and debrided. Cefepime, 2 g, was given twice daily. In surgery, the unstable joint was transfixed with two thick Kirschner wires, passed retrograde. Interrupted sutures were placed in the anterior capsule and anterior third of the lateral ligament without additional incisions. The wound healed aseptically. The Kirschner wires were removed at 6 weeks. The joint space was only minimally reduced. He returned to work after 4 months. His ankle-hindfoot score was 90/100 at 18 months, he could jog at 24 months, and he was still asymptomatic at 36 months. The case illustrates the importance of preserving talar circulation and treatment within the "golden hour."