A Clinical Study of Ankle Injuries

Paik, Nam In; Lee, Si Youl; Lee, Won Gap

Abstract

Ankle injuries include not only disruption of bony architecture of ankle joint but also significant ligamentous and soft tissue injuries as well. Since ligamentous injury frequently has more serious implication than fracture, it is important that be recognized and included in the plan of treatment. The goal of treatment of ankle fracture is the establishment of the normal ankle joint. To obtain the this goal, the fracture should be reduced as accurately as possible (by open or closed), the fracture fragment must be retained in position until healing is secure, ligamentous structure should be repaired when indicated, and joint motion should be restored. The following clinical results shown by analysls of 108 cases of ankle injuries experienced in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Capital Armed Forces General Hospital, from Jan. 1977 to June 1979. 1. The main cause of the injuries was falling from a height and the other causes were direct violence, traffic accident, and injuries in order. 2. All but one of the fractures could be classified in the manner described by Lauge-Hansen and the type of supination-external rotation was most common type in this series. 3. Ninty-two (85.1%) patients were treated by open reduction and internal fixation of both malleoli and sixteen by closed method. 4. The average period of cast immobilization was 8 weeks after closed reduction and that of open reduction was 6 weeks. 5. The good clinical results were achieved in 95 petients and the better results were obtained in fracturers treated in operative interventions.