Ankle fractures and alcoholism. The influence of alcoholism on morbidity after malleolar fractures

Abstract

The postoperative morbidity after osteosynthesis of malleolar fractures was investigated retrospectively by comparing 90 alcohol abusers with 90 controls. The two groups were selected from 626 male patients and were matched regarding trauma, treatment for cardiovascular, pulmonary and endocrine diseases, age, weight, smoking habits, anaesthesia and duration of surgery. The alcohol abusers developed significantly more early complications, especially infections, after surgery. Follow-up at six, nine and 12 weeks after surgery also revealed a significantly higher morbidity among the alcoholics.

Infection Following Operative Treatment of Ankle Fractures

“…Risk factors for infection after open reduction and internal fixation of ankle fractures include diabetes mellitus [2,4,7,8,12,13,15,18], alcoholism [20], advanced age [1], and high-energy injuries [9]. Patients with diabetes mellitus after operative treatment of ankle fractures have had infection rates ranging from 10% to 60% [7,13], amputation rates up to 42% in open ankle fractures [21], and mortality up to 11% [18].…”

Alcohol Inhibits Osteopontin-dependent Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Expression in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

“…Intoxication increases risks for both sustaining fracture injuries as well as adversely affecting the healing process. Human studies have shown that healing and recovery from fractures is adversely affected and is prolonged with higher rates of complications in patients with significant EtOH exposure (3,23,24).…”

Sprunggelenkfrakturen

“…Zudem haben jüngere Patienten unter 50 Jahren in der Regel ein besseres Outcome als äl-tere Patienten. Für chronisch alkoholkranke Patienten sind ebenfalls schlechtere Resultate beschrieben [23].…”