Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026
09:01
Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis with Total Ankle Replacement Through a Lateral Transfibular Approach
Published on: January 24, 2018
Complications after ankle fracture in elderly patients
Kenneth J Koval1, Weiping Zhou, Michael J Sparks
1Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA. kjkmd@yahoo.com
Foot & Ankle International
|January 5, 2008
Summary
Elderly patients with ankle fractures have low complication rates regardless of surgical intervention. Nonoperative treatment showed higher mortality, while operative treatment led to increased rehospitalization rates.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Geriatric Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Debate exists on optimal ankle fracture management in elderly individuals.
- Assessing risks and benefits of operative versus nonoperative treatment is crucial for this demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate complication rates for operative and nonoperative ankle fracture treatment in elderly patients.
- To compare outcomes using the United States Medicare database.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the National Medicare Claims History System (1998-2001) for 33,704 elderly patients with ankle fractures.
- Analyzed mortality, rehospitalization, medical/operative complications, and additional surgery rates.
- Considered patient age, gender, race, comorbidities, and fracture type as covariates.
Main Results:
- Nonoperative treatment correlated with significantly higher mortality (except at 30 days) (p < 0.05).
- Operative treatment showed significantly higher rehospitalization rates (p < 0.05).
- Medical and operative complication rates were low (<2%) for both treatment groups.
Conclusions:
- Both operative and nonoperative treatments for ankle fractures in carefully selected elderly patients demonstrate low complication rates.
- Treatment choice should consider individual patient factors and potential risks like mortality and rehospitalization.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Peripheral Artery Disease V: Postoperative Nursing Management
During the postoperative period, it is crucial to focus on maintaining circulation, identifying and managing potential complications, and planning for discharge.Nursing AssessmentVital signs monitoring: Regularly monitor vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature, to detect early signs of complications such as bleeding and infection.Circulation assessment: Monitor pulses, perform Doppler assessments, and check capillary refill, color, temperature, and...
01:26Aneurysm III: Interprofessional Care
Aneurysm management involves either conservative medical therapy or surgical intervention, depending on the size and symptoms of the aneurysm. Conservative management is generally reserved for smaller, asymptomatic aneurysms, while larger or symptomatic aneurysms often necessitate surgical repair.Conservative Medical TherapyFor small, asymptomatic aneurysms, particularly abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) less than 5.5 centimeters in diameter, conservative medical therapy is recommended. This...
01:27Fractures: Bone Repair
Treatment for a fracture is based on the type of break, the bone affected, and the patient's age.
Minor fractures with no bone displacement are treated by immobilizing the fractured bone using a cast or splint. However, in the case of fractures with displaced bones, the broken bones are repositioned before immobilization to ensure successful healing without deformation and loss of function. The realignment of fractured bone ends is performed through a process called reduction. If the procedure...
Minor fractures with no bone displacement are treated by immobilizing the fractured bone using a cast or splint. However, in the case of fractures with displaced bones, the broken bones are repositioned before immobilization to ensure successful healing without deformation and loss of function. The realignment of fractured bone ends is performed through a process called reduction. If the procedure...
01:24Healing II: Complications
Complications during healing arise when tissue repair is altered by local or systemic factors. These changes involve abnormal collagen deposition, altered biomechanics, and reduced vascular supply, impairing restoration of normal structure and function.Loss of FunctionScar tissue differs significantly from the original tissue it replaces. In the skin, fibrosis lacks adnexal structures such as hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands. Their absence reduces tactile sensitivity, impairs...
01:28Cardiac Catheterization I: Pre-Procedure Overview
Cardiac catheterization is an invasive diagnostic technique used to identify and evaluate structural and functional diseases of the heart and major blood vessels. This technique diagnoses congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, and coronary spasms and assesses ventricular function. It helps guide treatment decisions, including the need for revascularization procedures like percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and...
01:25Peritoneal Dialysis II: Peritoneal Dialysis Systems and Complications
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a medical process that removes waste products and excess fluid from the body using the peritoneal membrane as a natural filter.Peritoneal Dialysis MethodsSeveral methods can be used for peritoneal dialysis, including Acute Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis, and Automated Peritoneal Dialysis, also known as Continuous Cyclic Peritoneal Dialysis.Acute Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis (AIPD) is used for patients with uremic...