TITLE:
Treatment of Posterior Malleolus Fracture through Posterolateral Approach
AUTHORS:
Sah Ganesh Kumar, Jun Lu, Singh Ratish, Sinkemani Arjun, Karki Sundar, Jiming Liang
KEYWORDS:
Ankle Fracture, Posterior Malleolus Fracture, Trimalleolus Fracture, Posterolateral Approach
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Orthopedics,
Vol.9 No.4,
March
28,
2019
ABSTRACT: Posterior malleolus fractures are quite common and usually result from rotational ankle injuries. For the management of posterior malleolus fractures, more studies are still required, though it is already well-recognized for medial and lateral structure. Therefore, fracture of posterior malleolus is striking subject of study among orthopedic surgeons. Most orthopedic surgeons recommend fixing the posterior malleolus fracture if it is larger than 25% to 33% of the distal articular surface. Further attention is required for the reduction and fixation of fractures involving posterior malleolus. Several approaches and methods for fixation of posterior malleolus have been defined in the literature. Previously, the most common method of fixation of the posterior malleolus is by indirect reduction and antero-posterior screws, it is minimally invasive, the anterior incision does not allow satisfactory visualization of the fragment, so good anatomical reduction is difficult to achieve thorough this approach. Operative management goals to reach a stable ankle with maximal function, decrease the risk of post-traumatic degenerative changes, and diminish the risk of complication. Nowadays, posterolateral approach is gaining the popularity due to adequate visualization and accurate anatomic reduction.