Bioabsorbable screw fixation of the syndesmosis in unstable ankle injuries

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of the medium and long-term results of Bionx bioabsorbable screw fixation of the ankle syndesmosis in unstable ankle injuries.

Between May 2001 and July 2006, 75 patients underwent syndesmotic fixation with a bioabsorbable screw. All patients had closed primary ankle fractures or dislocations with syndesmotic instability. Open reduction and internal fixation of the ankle fracture was performed using current standard orthopaedic technique. Patients were followed clinically and radiographically from 12 to 74 months with the mean being 32.5 months.

Seventy of 75 patients (93%) returned for the final evaluation. Mean AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot score was 90 of 100 and mean VAS for pain was 1.8 out of 10 at the time of final followup. No patients in this population showed radiographic syndesmotic instability, loss of mortise congruency, or post-traumatic arthritis in the sigmoid notch area at final followup. No patients required revision surgical fixation of the syndesmosis.

This study demonstrates that the use of bioabsorbable screw for syndesmotic fixation is associated with satisfactory restoration of ankle function and syndesmotic stability.