Osteosynthesis of Fibula Fractures With a Locked Thin Plate

Ankle fractures account for up to 10% of all fractures. They are the third most common fracture site in adults, with nearly 169 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year . These injuries affect a heterogeneous population, including elderly patients who often have comorbidities as well as younger polytraumatized individuals. Fibular osteosynthesis is traditionally performed by open reduction and internal fixation using plates with screws, either locked or non-locked. The longitudinal approach required for osteosynthesis carries risks, with complication rates reaching up to 20% in some series, the most common being skin complications related to the necessary incision .

The rate of cutaneous complications is associated with age, diabetes, peripheral vascular and neurological diseases, obesity, and alcohol or tobacco use . Moreover, an open injury or a fracture-dislocation further increases this risk. In addition, the plates traditionally used have a certain thickness that can cause long-term discomfort, often requiring hardware removal after bone healing. Recent meta-analyses published show a superiority of fibular nailing-and even simple one-third tubular plates-over so-called "anatomical" plates in terms of complications (patient discomfort, infection, and wound-healing issues), due to the smaller profile of the implants. Bone-healing rates remain comparable across different fixation methods and range from 97% to 100% in recent meta-analyses.

Recently, new implants have been developed to reduce skin risks and discomfort related to implant thickness. These thinner locked plates have a thickness of 2.8 mm (compared with an average of 3.5 mm for competing systems). A recent biomechanical study demonstrated their superior mechanical resistance . A clinical study would be useful to confirm these results in terms of bone healing and tolerance (cutaneous tolerance and implant-related discomfort).

Study designe:Descriptive single-center historico-prospective observational cohort study without a control group

Inclusion criteria

• Adult patient at the time of injury

• Patient who underwent surgery with a low-profile plate, including:
• Isolated lateral malleolar fracture treated with a low-profile anatomical plate
• Lateral malleolar fracture associated with a bimalleolar injury treated with a low-profile anatomical plate
• Lateral malleolar fracture associated with a trimalleolar injury treated with a low-profile anatomical plate
• Lateral malleolar fracture associated with a tibial pilon injury treated with a low-profile anatomical plate
• Standard preoperative radiographs (ankle AP and lateral views)
• Standard postoperative radiographs (ankle AP and lateral views)
• No objection to participation in the study

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision, or individuals under legal protection
• Patients with dementia preventing the collection of secondary clinical outcome measures (Olerud and Molander score, VAS, EFAS score, EQ-5D-5L)