Osteosynthesis of High-Risk Ankle Fractures Using Locked Fibula Nails: What Results for Which Patients?

Ankle fractures represent one of the most common injuries in orthopedic and trauma surgery with an incidence of 9% of all fractures. We distinguish between isolated fractures of the malleolus (internal and/or external), fractures of the tibial pilon and the distal quarter of the leg which concern the entire distal part of the tibia depending on whether they are intra- or extra-articular. The aging of the population and the increase in survival of multiple trauma patients lead to an increase in ankle fractures with high skin risk, whether due to an open fracture, soft tissue injury (crush, dermabrasion, etc.). ) or a major risk of scarring (chronic venous insufficiency, lymphedema, unbalanced diabetes, etc.).

The classic management of fractures of the fibula (external malleolus) is based on open reduction-fixation using a screwed plate, made through a longitudinal incision. Restoring the length of the fibula contributes to the reduction of fractures of the tibial pilon. However, in patients at high skin risk, plate fixation increases tissue trauma and can lead to scar complications and infections.

The fibula nail is a recent, minimally invasive osteosynthesis method whose results seem at least equivalent to those of screwed plate osteosynthesis in numerous series in the literature [BÄCKER 2019]. The most commonly used and most studied fibula nail in the literature is the Acumed fibula nail. In recent literature, the use of the fibula nail in the fixation of tibial pilon fractures and/or fractures of the distal quarter of the leg is associated with satisfactory results.

If the fibula nail seems equivalent to the screwed plate in "classic" ankle fractures, we can wonder if its minimally invasive nature does not give it an advantage over the screwed plate in the fixation of ankle fractures. high skin risk. To our knowledge, few series have been published concerning this subpopulation at risk and for which the fibula nail represents an interesting alternative.

Likewise, although a biomechanical study showed a higher rate of torsional fracture after fibula nail fixation versus screwed plate, the results of fibula nail fixation in unstable ankle fractures appear equivalent to those of fixing by screwed plates. As the notion of stability of ankle fractures is not clearly defined in the literature, we will refer to tri-malleolar fractures, dislocated bi-malleolar fractures, tibial pilon fractures and fractures of the distal quarter of the leg as unstable fractures. As the notion of skin risk is not clearly defined in the literature, we will designate as skin risk patients presenting with acute traumatic tissue damage associated or not with an open fracture evaluated according to the Oestern and Tscherne classification as well as patients presenting with a skin disease. chronic such as lipodermatosclerosis, lymphedema, varicose or arterial ulcer and skin atrophy secondary to long-term corticosteroid therapy compromising the healing of a longitudinal incision next to the fibula.

Expected benefits:

The elements collected as part of this study could make it possible to validate the use of the fibula nail in the management strategy for these fractures and thus better codify and standardize practices in this restricted and complex area of traumatology.