OBJECTIVES To evaluate syndesmosis-only fixation in Weber C ankle fractures with tibiofibular diastasis and to assess the need for additional fibular fixation. METHODS Twenty-one patients with Weber C ankle fractures and tibiofibular diastasis were followed for at least 24 months after treatment. In treatment of the Weber C fractures, only a syndesmosis screw was used through a mini open late...

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological outcome of patients with intact, broken and removed syndesmosis screws after Weber B or C ankle fracture with an associated injury to the syndesmosis. We hypothesised that there would be no difference. Of a possible 142 patients who fulfilled our inclusion criteria, 52 returned for clinical and radiological assessment at lea...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prevalence of deltoid ligament and distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury on 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI). MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty patients (mean age, 35 years) who had undergone preoperative 3T MRI and surgical treatment for CLAI were enrolled. The prevalence of deltoid ligament and syndesmosis inj...

BACKGROUND Injuries to the tibiofibular syndesmosis commonly cause prolonged ankle pain and disability. Syndesmotic injuries are associated with slower healing rates compared with rates for other ankle ligament injuries and typically result in longer time away from sports. To our knowledge, the vascular supply to the syndesmosis and its clinical implication have not previously been studied. The...

Isolated syndesmosis injuries often go unrecognized and are diagnosed as lateral ankle sprains; however, they are more disabling than lateral ankle sprains. The reported incidence of isolated syndesmosis injuries in acute ankle sprains ranges between 1% and 16%. When ankle disability lasts for more than 2 months after an ankle sprain, the incidence increases to 23.6%. Diagnostic workup may incl...

We performed a retrospective study of the factors affecting the outcome of Weber type-C ankle fractures in 43 patients reviewed at two to nine years after injury. We determined the functional result in relation to the use of a diastasis screw, the accuracy of reduction, the presence of tibiotalar dislocation, and of injury to the medial side of the ankle by medial malleolar fracture or deltoid ...

BACKGROUND The arthroscopic findings in patients with chronic anterior syndesmotic instability that need reconstructive surgery have never been described extensively. METHODS In 12 patients the clinical suspicion of chronic instability of the syndesmosis was confirmed during arthroscopy of the ankle. All findings during the arthroscopy were scored. Anatomical reconstruction of the anterior ti...

Physician awareness of ankle syndesmosis injuries is improving. The anatomy involved and the mechanism of injury are extremely relevant for the understanding and treatment of this type of injury. Examination under anesthesia may confirm the syndesmosis instability. Based on those findings, stabilization is the recommended approach.

Introduction: The ankle syndesmosis is a critical articulation between the distal tibia and fibula and is comprised of the anterior-inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL), interosseous ligament (IOL), interosseous membrane, posterior-inferior tibiofibular ligament (PITFL) and inferior transverse ligament (ITL) [1, 2]. The detrimental effects of syndesmotic malreduction have been documented in t...

A stable and precise articulation of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis is essential for normal motion of the ankle joint. Injury to the syndesmosis occurs through rupture or bony avulsion of the syndesmotic ligament complex. External rotation of the talus has been identified as the major mechanism of syndesmotic injury. None of the syndesmotic stress tests was sensitive or specific; therefore...