Biomechanical Comparison of Distal Tibiofibular Syndesmotic Joint Fixation: Novel Suture Construct versus Metallic Screw Construct in Syndesmotic Injury Model

INTRODUCTION: Syndesmotic injuries of the ankle commonly occur via an external rotation force applied to the ankle joint. The effects of rigid or non-rigid fixation of the syndesmotic injury can be assessed by evaluating the three-dimensional kinematics behavior of tibiofibular diastasis. The specific aims of this study were: 1) to determine the physiological range of motion of the distal tibiofibular joint; 2) to determine if the non-rigid anatomic syndesmosis reduction fixation will maintain the reduction while permitting some physiologic motion; and 3) to compare the non-rigid reduction method to rigid metallic screws fixation with regards to syndesmotic stability.