Background
Early weight-bearing is becoming increasingly common because it can positively affect the quality of life of patients. Therefore, the efficacy and safety of this conservative treatment should be assessed for different types of ankle fractures. The goal of this study was to compare early weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing in terms of effectiveness and safety in patients with pronation rotation type III ankle fractures treated nonsurgically.
Methods
A prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted over two years. Elderly patients with a nondisplaced pronation rotation type III ankle fracture were included. The main variables were the Barthel Index and SF-12 scores. The patients completed the questionnaires at six weeks, one year and two years. We also compared the complications associated with the two interventions.
Results
30 patients were included in the weight-bearing group, while 32 patients were included in the non-weight-bearing (WB) group. The mean ages were 82.6 ± 2.6 years and 83.1 ± 2.6 years, respectively. Quality of life, measured with the SF-12 scale, increased significantly in both the short and long term in the WB group (53.5 ± 5.8 points vs 65.2 ± 4.4 points at 6 weeks and 70.1 ± 4.2 points vs. 80.9 ± 3.7 points at 2 years; p<0.001). The WB group also showed a higher quality of life, as measured by the Barthel Index (54.5 ± 5.2 points vs. 64.3 ± 4.0 points at 6 weeks and 71.0 ± 4.3 points vs. 80.7 ± 3.4 points at 2 years; p<0.001).
Conclusions
Elderly patients with pronation rotation type III fractures could benefit from an early weight-bearing protocol in terms of quality of life and functionality.
Study design:
This is a prospective study of 2 cohorts.
Objective:
Compare the clinical and radiologic outcome of 2 cohorts of unstable thoracolumbar and lumbar fractures treated by open posterior fixation (OPF) with bone graft or by percutaneous fixation (PCF) without grafting.
Summary of Background Data:
In recent years, PCF is the most common treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. To date, no studies have analyzed clinical outcomes in terms of return to work.
Material and Methods:
Two cohorts of patients with unstable thoracolumbar and lumbar fractures fractures (type A2, A3, and A4) without neurological symptoms underwent OPF (n=91) or PCF (n=54) between 2010 and 2015. A conventional radiologic study was performed in the preoperative, immediate postoperative period, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by Visual Analog Scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores at 1-year and 2-year follow-up. The period to return to work and the type of work were also recorded.
Results:
The percentages of correction were significantly higher in cases operated by OPF: fracture angle (P<0.001), kyphotic deformity (P<0.001), vertebral compression (P<0.001), and displacement (P<0.001). Cases operated by PCF experienced greater loss of correction at 2-year follow-up, especially in fracture displacement (P<0.001), deformity angle (P<0.001), kyphotic deformity (P<0.001), and in the sagittal index (P<0.001). Besides this greater loss of correction, PCF cases showed better Visual Analog Scale (P<0.001) and Oswestry Disability Index scores (P<0.001) at final follow-up. The percentage of patients returning to the same heavy work position was higher in the PCF group (P<0.001) and in a shorter period of time (P<0.001).
Conclusions:
The greater loss of correction of patients undergoing PCF does not reflect the clinical outcomes that were significantly better as compared to patients undergoing open fixation with grafting. It would be useful to further evaluate if the radiological changes could have a long-term clinical significance.
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