J Korean Fract Soc.  2008 Jan;21(1):31-36. 10.12671/jkfs.2008.21.1.31.

Surgical Fixation with Biodegradable Plate for the Treatment of Ankle Fractures

• Cho JY
• Kim JW
• Kim SE
• Jung KC
• Choi SH

• KMID: 1480961
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12671/jkfs.2008.21.1.31

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to show the efficacy of a biodegradable plate for treating lateral malleolar fractures in the ankle joint.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The 20 patients who underwent an open reduction and internal fixation for lateral malleolar fractures in the ankle joint from February, 2006 to February, 2007 in our hospital were enrolled into the study. The average age of the patients was 49.7 years and the average follow-up period was 5.6 months. The cases were analyzed by radiological bone union time and clinical results according to the criteria of Meyer et al.
RESULTS
Average radiological bone union time was 10.5 weeks. The clinical result was excellent in 19 cases (95%), good in 1 case (5%). There was one case of minimal displacement less than 1 mm, associated with anterior distal tibio-fibular ligament avulsion fracture.
CONCLUSION
For proper patients, a biodegradable plate is an effecttive alternative implant for stabilizing lateral malleolar fractures in the ankle joint, because there is no requirement for subsequent removal and slow resorption in vivo.

Keyword

Ankle; Lateral malleolar fractures; Biodegradable plate; Smoking

MeSH Terms

Animals
Ankle
Ankle Joint
Displacement (Psychology)
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Ligaments
Smoking

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Photographs of biodegradable plate and screw and surgical steps. (A) 6 hole biodegradable plate and bicortical screw. (B) The plate is heated in the water bath for at least 1 minute and most malleable for 10 seconds after heating. (C) The plate can be contoured to the bone by using finger pressure. Bicortical screws are fixed through the plate.

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  Fig. 2 (A) A 55-year-old woman had lateral malleolar fracture and deltoid ligament injury of the ankle joint. (B) The lateral malleolar fracture was fixed with biodegradable plate and bicortical screw. (C) At postoperative 12 weeks, the radiographs show the radiological bone union.

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  Fig. 3 (A) A 48-year-old woman had a trimalleolar fracture of the ankle joint. (B) The lateral malleolar fracture was fixed with biodegradable plate and bicortical screws, and medial malleolar fragment with biodegradable screw and K-wire. (C) At postoperative 15 weeks, the radiographs show the radiological bone union.

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  Fig. 4 (A) Initial radiographs & CT of a 62-year-old woman show anterior tibio-fibular ligament avulsion fracture in lateral malleolar fracture. (B) The lateral malleolar fracture was fixed with biodegradable plate and bicortical screws, and avulsion fragment of anterior tibio-fibular ligament with biodegradable screw. (C) At postoperative 8 weeks, the radiographs show the minimal displacement less than 1 mm.

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