The Effect of Fibular Malreduction on Contact Pressures in an Ankle Fracture Malunion Model*

Complications in ankle fracture surgery

“…However, for many reasons, anatomic fracture reduction may not be achieved (Horisberber et al 2009, Luebbeke et al 2012. Failure to reproduce the anatomic relationship of the distal tibia and fibula leads to altered loading of the tibiotalar joint (Ramsay and Hamilton 1976, Thordarson et al 1997, Harris and Fallat 2004, Lloyd et al 2006) and subsequent post-traumatic arthritis (Lindsjö 1981, Pettrone et al 1983, Leeds et al 1984, Lindsjö 1985, Rukavina 1998) with poor functional outcomes (Joy et al 1974, Pettrone et al 1983, Mont et al 1992, Weening et al 2005, Wikerøy et al 2009, Sagi et al 2012. Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common complications following ankle fracture surgery (Shephers et al 2011).…”

Realignment-lengthening osteotomy for malunited distal fibular fracture

“…Restoration of the ankle mortise, by adequate lengthening and correction of the angular and rotational deformities of the fibula, should restore the normal ankle biomechanics and prevent the development of degenerative joint disease [5][6][7].…”

Treatment of osteochondral defects of the talus

“…253,264,323 Th e reallife situation might have been better imitated by also loading the fi bula, which transmits 7% of the total force through the lower leg. 157 However, loading the fi bula would probably not have had any notable eff ect on the results because the pressure distribution would have shift ed slightly to the lateral side, 389 with minor eff ects on the medially located implant.…”