Intraoperative contralateral view for assessing accurate syndesmosis reduction

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Radiology
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Ankle syndesmotic injuries require accurate reduction to prevent long-term disability.
• Current methods often focus on coronal plane alignment, neglecting sagittal plane displacement.
• Posterior displacement of the fibula relative to the tibia is a common sagittal plane issue in syndesmotic injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel technique for accurate reduction of ankle syndesmosis injuries.
• To address the challenge of sagittal plane tibiofibular diastasis.
• To provide a practical method for surgeons to achieve optimal syndesmotic reduction.

Main Methods:

• A technique utilizing lateral fluoroscopic assessment is presented.
• The uninjured contralateral ankle serves as a reference for comparison.
• This method guides the reduction of posterior fibular displacement.

Main Results:

• The described technique allows for direct visualization and correction of sagittal plane malalignment.
• Using the contralateral ankle as a template aids in achieving anatomical reduction.
• This approach facilitates accurate restoration of tibiofibular alignment.

Conclusions:

• Accurate reduction of ankle syndesmosis is crucial for favorable patient outcomes.
• The described lateral fluoroscopic technique offers a reliable method for correcting sagittal plane syndesmotic injuries.
• This technique enhances the ability to minimize tibiofibular diastasis and improve functional recovery.