• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2023

Rotational ankle fractures are one of the most common injuries of lower limbs treated by orthopedic surgeons. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is considered a gold standard treatment for unstable ankle fractures, though adjunct ankle arthroscopy is being increasingly used in cases of ankle trauma. Although the role and use of ankle arthroscopy are expanding, the clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of arthroscopy remain undefined. Furthermore, despite the number of clinical research studies performed on arthroscopically assisted surgery for ankle fractures, no definite guidelines have been agreed, and no consensus has been reached regarding indications. This article reviews the role, indications, operative techniques, and complications of ankle arthroscopy and compares the clinical outcomes of conventional ORIF and arthroscopically assisted ORIF.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2001

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the clinical prognostic factors which may affect the postoperative clinical results of the unstable ankle fractures. Materials and Methods: This study is based on 62 unstable ankle fractures treated by open reduction and internal fixation from May 1994 to June 2000, with a minimum follow-up period of 12 months(range: 13 months-7 years 3 months). The 62 patients were average 39.1 years old with male: female ratio of 41:21. Based on Lauge-Hansen classification, the supination-external rotation type was the most common with 36 (58.1%) cases. The clinical results was assessed by American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society(AOFAS) functional scale. The sex, age, body weight, trauma-operation interval, operation time, cause of injury, fracture type were statistically analyzed as the possible postoperative clinical prognostic factors. Results: Postoperative AOFAS functional scale was average 82.1 points with 22(35.5 %) cases excellent, 12(19.4%) good. 16(25.8%) fair and 12(19.4%) cases poor results. The age and the operation time were found to be statistically significant factors affecting the prognosis(p<0.001). The sex, weight, trauma-operation interval factors did not significantly affect the clinical results. The pronation-external rotation type showed better clinical tendency among the fracture types, but without the statistical significance. Conclusion: The surgically treated unstable ankle fractures in patients whose age was above 41 years old or operation time exceeding 90 minutes showed significantly poor clinical results.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2013

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of intraoperative stress test for diagnosis of occult Lisfranc injury. Materials and Methods: Between April 2009 and October 2012, 21 patients with occult Lisfranc injuries underwent intraoperative stress test and internal fixation. There were 11 males and 10 females with an average age of 45.3 years (range, 23~79 years). Injuries were caused by traffic accident in 10 cases, indirect force (twisting injury) in 8 cases, and crush in 2 cases, falling from a height in 1 case. Unstable injuries on stress radiograph in occult injury of Lisfranc joint were treated by open reduction or closed reduction and fixation with cannulated screw or K-wire. Radiological evaluation was assessed according to preoperative and postoperative diastasis between $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ metatarsal base. Results: Assoicated injuries were 9 cases of metatarsal fractures, 6 cases of cuneiform fractures and 6 cases of both metatarsal and cuneiform fractures. Medial and middle column fixation was in 13 cases, and three columns fixation was in 8 cases. Initial diastasis between $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ metatarsal base was 2.8 mm (1.3~4.7 mm) on AP radiograph and postoperative diastasis between $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ metatarsal base was 1.2 mm (0.5~2.4 mm) on AP radiograph. Conclusion: Even there is no sign of clear Lisfranc injury, it is necessary to pay attention and give evaluation on circumstances of occult Lisfranc injuries with metatarsal or cuneiform fractures. Intraoperative stress test is helpful to diagnose an occult Lisfranc injury. For unstable injuries on stress radiographs of occult Lisfranc joint injury, operative treatment with open or closed reduction and internal fixation is useful method.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2022

Syndesmotic injuries are found frequently in clinical practice, and they remain controversial because of the variety of diagnostic techniques and management options. Bony avulsions or malleolar fractures are commonly associated with syndesmotic disruptions. Even unstable isolated syndesmosis injuries are associated with a latent or frank tibiofibular diastasis and should not be ignored in the early phase. A relevant instability of the syndesmosis with diastasis results from collateral ligaments tears and requires operative stabilization. The treatment involves an anatomic reduction of the distal tibiofibular articulations followed by stable fixation. Syndesmotic transfixation screws or suture button implants are being proposed as a means of fixation. Recently, suture button fixation has shown more favorable outcomes, but the outcomes can still be controversial. Syndesmotic malreduction can lead to hardware failure, adhesions, heterotopic ossification, tibiofibular synostosis, chronic instability, and posttraumatic arthritis. In particular, the correct diagnosis and evidence-based treatment options for unstable syndesmotic injury should be considered.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.78-85
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• 2011

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of computerized tomography (CT) for the diagnosis and the fragment fixation of anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament avulsion fracture in ankle fracture. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied 108 patients with an ankle fracture who had been checked with plain radiographs and CT from July 2006 to July 2010. They were divided into two groups; patients with (19 patients) and without (89 patients) an avulsion fracture of anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament. The two groups were evaluated with Lauge-Hansen classification, the energy of trauma, and the radiologic indices for syndesmotic injury, and were compared each other. Average follow up periods of two groups were 25 and 23 months each. Those who were unstable at stress test during surgery were divided into fragment fixation of anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament avulsion fracture group (8 patients) and transfixation one (11 patients) according to treatment method. Clinical and radiological results at last follow up were also compared. Results: Fourteen avulsion fractures of anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament were diagnosed by CT only. Incidences of pronation-external rotation injury, high energy trauma, positive radiologic indices for syndesmotic injury were significantly higher in patients with an avulsion fracture of anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament than those without it. Clinical and radiological results were satisfactory in both groups at last follow up, and were not significantly different between them. Conclusion: In patients who have an ankle fracture by pronation-external rotation injury, high energy trauma, or with positive radiologic indices for syndesmotic injury, CT is useful for diagnosis of an avulsion fracture of anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament. Fragment fixation of anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament avulsion fracture is a useful treatment option for syndesmotic injury.