Internal Brace Fixation Technique for Lisfranc Injury: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND The Lisfranc ligament is crucial for maintaining the transverse and longitudinal arch of the foot. Owing to the disruption between the medial cuneiform bone and the base of the second metatarsal bone, the currently preferred fixation method remains controversial. Our fixation technique involves screwing one anchor to the medial and intermediate cuneiform bones and using the anchor to carry the ligament to bind the Lisfranc joint and first and second metatarsal joints altogether for elastic fixation. This study evaluated the clinical and functional outcomes of InternalBrace fixation for Lisfranc injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study included 58 patients who underwent InternalBrace fixation for Lisfranc injury between January 2019 and September 2022 by an experienced surgeon. One-way analysis of variance or t test was used. Preoperative classification was performed according to the Myerson classification with imaging data. Postoperative follow-up was performed based on intraoperative blood loss, fracture healing time, visual analog scale (VAS) score, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, Tegner score, and complications. RESULTS Surgery was completed in all patients, and follow-up was performed. The patients' ages ranged from 19 to 62 years (average: 34.6±9.4 years). The postoperative follow-up time was 12-24 months (average: 16.9±3.0 months). The average time for fracture healing was 12.8±3.0 (10-24) weeks. The VAS, AOFAS, and Tegner scores significantly improved postoperatively (from 5.33±1.0 (3-7) to 1.24±0.57 (0-2); 28.02±6.70 (18-51) to 91.59±4.76 (82-96); and 2.40±0.67 (1-4) to 6.53±0.54 (6-7), respectively), which was statistically significant (P<0.01), and the good rate of AOFAS was 91.4%. The postoperative complications were traumatic arthritis, incision infection, and temporary dorsal foot numbness, which gradually recovered. No other rejection reactions or Lisfranc fracture/dislocations recurrence occurred during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS InternalBrace fixation for Lisfranc injury is beneficial for restoring Lisfranc joint stability and function and allows for early and more aggressive rehabilitation for patients, with fewer surgical complications.