Temporary Cast Application in Dislocated Ankle Fractures Leads to High Rates of Secondary Loss of Reduction: Does the Lauge-Hansen Injury Type Matter?

BACKGROUND

For the temporary treatment of ankle fracture dislocations (AFDs), previous studies indicate higher rates of secondary loss of reduction (LOR) with splint immobilization, prompting consideration for expanding indications for external fixation (ExFix). However, these studies did not investigate the influence of fracture morphology to further improve patient selection. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of Lauge-Hansen injury type on the LOR rate in bimalleolar or trimalleolar AFDs for temporary cast vs ExFix immobilization.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, patients with isolated AFD cases treated at our institution from 2011 to 2020 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria required radiographs depicting initial dislocation and appropriate reduction after Cast or ExFix immobilization. Exclusion criteria encompassed concomitant injuries, open fractures, conservative management as well as surgery performed within 48 hours or at a different facility. Patients were grouped by temporary treatment (Cast or ExFix). The primary endpoint was LOR prior to definitive surgery across various Lauge-Hansen types.

RESULTS

The LOR rate was significantly higher in the cast group (40/152, 26.3%) compared to the ExFix group (5/191, 2.6%; P < .0001). In the cast group, LOR was associated with an increase in time to definitive surgery by a mean of 3 days (P < .002). During cast treatment, LOR was significantly more likely for pronation abduction (P = .001) and supination external rotation injuries (P < .0001), whereas no significant differences were observed for pronation external rotation (P = .006), supination adduction (P > .99), and fractures not classifiable (P > .99).

CONCLUSION

In cases of AFDs resulting from supination external rotation or pronation abduction trauma according to the Lauge-Hansen classification, especially in the setting of an additional posterior malleolar fracture, primary application of external fixation should be considered to reduce the risk for secondary loss of reduction.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Application of X-ray image measurement in the early diagnosis of sports injury of ankle ligament

Objectives:

To study the value of X-ray analysis method of ankle fracture based on injury mechanism to improve the imaging diagnosis level of ankle fracture.

Methods:

This study was conducted from January 2016 to December 2019. It included 105 cases of fractures caused by sprained ankle joints. Their age was between 21-81 years with an average of 49.5 years, The traditional X-ray analysis method (Group-A) and the injury mechanism-based ankle fracture X-ray analysis method (Group-B) were used to analyze X-ray image data. Group-B also performed Weber classification and Lauge-Hansen classification on cases. Installment.

Results:

Of the 105 patients with ankle fractures, 97 patients in Group-B were able to make Lauge-Hansen classification. Of these 97 ankle fractures, 137 were found in Group-A, and 158 were found in Group-B. The wrong diagnosis of fracture in Group-A was 18%, and the wrong diagnosis of fracture in Group-B was 0.5%. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P <0.05).

Conclusion:

The X-ray analysis method of ankle fractures based on injury mechanism can effectively improve the detection rate of hidden ankle fractures and high fibular fractures, and reduce the missed diagnosis, which is superior to the traditional X-ray analysis methods. At the same time, Weber classification, Lauge-Hansen classification and staging can be made for most cases, which is conducive to guiding clinical treatment.

Ankle Fracture with a Complex Injury Mechanism and Misleading Hook Test Result: A Case Report

Ankle fractures and their mechanisms of injury can be complex. We report a case of a patient with an uncertain mechanism of injury and an uncommon combination of lower extremity fractures, which fit the criteria for a Lauge-Hansen classification pronation-external-rotation fracture, Maisonneuve fracture, Wagstaffe fracture, and posterior pilon fracture. Plain radiographs and computed tomography scan revealed Chaput tubercle avulsion fractures, an anterior distal fibular fracture fragment, multiple lateral malleolar fractures, a posterior malleolar fracture fragment with proximal displacement, a die-punch fragment between the posterior malleolar fragment and the tibia, a proximal fibular fracture, and possible ankle syndesmotic diastasis. Intraoperative hook test was negative after fixation of the fractures, so syndesmotic fixation was not performed. At 3-month follow-up, plain radiographs showed obvious syndesmotic diastasis. At 1-year follow-up, symptoms persisted and syndesmotic fusion was recommended but declined by the patient. This case demonstrates that both ankle fractures and their mechanisms of injury can be remarkably complex and confusing, posterior pilon fractures can occur along with pronation-external-rotation ankle fractures, syndesmotic fixation should be considered for all patients with Maisonneuve fractures, reliance on the hook test for surgical management decisions may not always be reliable, and there exists a need for a more accurate and reliable intraoperative test to determine the presence of ankle syndesmotic injury.

Short-Term Outcomes and Influencing Factors After Ankle Fracture Surgery

The present study investigated the factors influencing the early clinical outcomes after ankle fracture surgery. We included 88 patients, who had undergone implant removal surgery at 1 year after ankle fracture surgery, with ankle computed tomographic (CT) scans obtained before ankle fracture surgery and at implant removal available. We collected demographic information, including age, sex, the presence of diabetes mellitus, level of trauma energy, and fracture classification from the medical records. We also recorded the fracture height using the radiographs and CT images. The medial joint space and articular incongruity were assessed on the follow-up radiographs and CT scans. Bone attenuation was measured by placing a circular region of interest around the ankle joint on the preoperative CT image. The postimplant removal outcomes were assessed using 2 functional questionnaires, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale and Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). Significant factors related to the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale scores and FAOS were identified through univariate analysis using age, sex, radiographic measurements, and CT findings as explanatory variables, followed by multiple regression analysis. On multiple regression analysis, the total FAOS was independently related to the AO classification (p = .003) and Lauge-Hansen classification (p = .003). The total AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale score was related to articular incongruity (p = .044). The early clinical outcomes after ankle fracture surgery were affected by involvement of the ankle joint fracture rather than the lateral malleolus fracture height. Female sex and the presence of postoperative articular incongruity correlated with inferior early clinical outcomes.

Inference on Injury Mechanism of Ankle Fracture by Lauge-Hansen Classification

OBJECTIVES

To explore the injury mechanism of ankle fracture inferred by the Lauge-Hansen classification with the application of medical imageology and its application value in forensic medicine.

METHODS

A total of 32 ankle fracture cases with known injury mechanism were collected from January 2013 to May 2018, which were identified in Yongkang Public Security Bureau, Zhejiang Province. The Lauge-Hansen classification of ankle fracture was performed by three forensic experts based on the data of X-ray and CT image. Fisher's exact test and Kappa consistency analysis were performed by SPSS 20.0 statistical software to compare the results of the Lauge-Hansen classification with the injury mechanism of ankle fracture obtained through the criminal evidence.

RESULTS

In 32 cases, 84.4% （27/32） ankle fractures were classified according to the Lauge-Hansen classification based on medical imaging. The mechanism of ankle fracture identified by the Lauge-Hansen classification was consistent with that obtained through the criminal evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on medical imaging, the Lauge-Hansen classification can be well applied to infer the injury mechanism of ankle fracture in part cases, and provide objective evidence for the crime scene reconstruction of criminal cases.

Adult-type bimalleolar ankle fracture in children: report of two cases

Ankle fractures patterns in children may vary depending on the maturity of the distal tibial and fibular physis. Bimalleolar ankle fracture is an exceedingly rare fracture pattern in children and has been reported once in the current English literature. Two further adolescents with bimalleolar ankle fracture are reported. Although these fractures are rare, surgeons should be aware of these atypical fracture patterns. Herein, the underlying physiology and the mechanism of injury of ankle fractures in children are discussed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, Level IV, Case study.