[Surgical treatment of ankle fracture in the elderly]

To analysis the outcomes and the technique of surgical operation of osteoporotic ankle fracture in the elderly.

One hundred and twenty-eight patients with osteoporotic ankle fracture were treated by surgical operation from January 2003 to December 2008, included 26 males and 102 females, with an average age of 69 years old ranging from 50 to 82 years. According to Lange-Hanson classification, there were 113 cases of supinatio-extorsion, 18 of pronate-extorsion, 5 of supinatio-adduction, 2 of pronate-abduction. The methods of fixation, the complications, and the AOFAS scores after operation were recorded.

All the 128 patients were followed up from 6 months to 6 years (averaged in 36 months). Delayed wound healing occurred in 11 cases (8.6%). There was no deep infection, nonunion of the fracture, and revision. The average AOFAS scores after operation was 83.6 +/- 6.3 (the mean pain scores were 33.5 +/- 5.6, the mean function scores were 40.2 +/- 7.4, the mean alignment scores were 10).

Surgical treatment should be the first choice in osteoporotic ankle fracture in most cases. Improved procedures can make the results better.