Results of early surgical intervention after suboptimal ankle fracture fixation

Ankle fractures are common injuries and commonly require operative stabilisation. The aim of ankle fracture fixation should be reduction and stabilisation, as for any periarticular fracture. Anatomical reduction will lead to good long-term results, but non-anatomically reduced fractures will lead to a poor functional outcome and development of osteoarthritis. We reviewed eight cases of non-anatomical ankle fixations that were revised by M.D. over a 4-year period. All were revised within 1 year of initial fixation. Clinical scoring for functional outcome was performed using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society rating system for the ankle and hindfoot. All patients reported improved function after the revision procedure. We conclude that revision surgery is justified if suboptimal fixation is encountered within 12 months of the original surgery.