Background. Optimal management of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures remains controversial. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) versus non-operative treatment in displaced intra-articular calcaneal fracture up to 2-years. Methods. All displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures between August 2014 and January 2019 that presented to a level 1 trauma centre were considered for inclusion. The decision to treat was made by a multidisciplinary meeting. Operative treatment protocol involved sinus tarsi approach or percutaneous reduction & internal fixation. Non-operative protocol involved symptomatic management with no attempt at closed reduction. All fractures were classified, and the MOXFQ/EQ-5D-5L scores were used to assess foot and ankle and general health-related quality of life outcomes respectively. Results. 101 patients were recruited at a level 1 major trauma centre, between August 2014 and January 2019. Our propensity score matched 44 patients in the surgical cohort to 44 patients in the non-surgical cohort. At 24 months, there was no significant difference in the MOXFQ Index score (p<0.05) however the patients in the surgical cohort had a significantly higher EQ-5D-5L Index score (p<0.05). There was also a higher return to work (91% vs 72%, p<0.05) and physical activity rate (46 vs. 35%, p<0.05) in the surgical cohort despite a higher proportion of more complex fractures in the surgical cohort. The wound complication rate following surgery was 16%. 14% of patients in the non-operative cohort subsequently underwent arthrodesis compared to none of the patients in the surgical cohort. Conclusion. In this study, we found operative treatments were associated with low rates of surgical complication at 2-years and long term pain improvement, facilitating earlier and better functional outcomes for complex injury patterns compared to nonoperative treatment

Aim

We aimed to study the effect of BMI on clinical and patient-reported outcomes in patients with TAR with a minimum follow-up of three years.

Introduction

Ankle replacement is a major surgery with significant soft tissue dissection and bleeding. The skin quality is often poor in these patients due to age, edema, venous congestion, arteriopathy or previous procedures and soft tissue injury. The chances of wound infection increase with delayed wound healing. Absorbent non-adherent dressing (ABD) and VAC dressing applied in theatre after ankle replacement were assessed in a cohort of 147 patients with wound complications, pain, satisfaction and length of stay as outcome measures.

Aims. The Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOxFQ) is an anatomically specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) currently used to assess a wide variety of foot and ankle pathology. It consists of 16 items across three subscales measuring distinct but related traits: walking/standing ability, pain, and social interaction. It is the most used foot and ankle PROM in the UK. Initial MOxFQ validation involved analysis of 100 individuals undergoing hallux valgus surgery. This project aimed to establish whether an individual’s response to the MOxFQ varies with anatomical region of disease (measurement invariance), and to explore structural validity of the factor structure (subscale items) of the MOxFQ. Methods. This was a single-centre, prospective cohort study involving 6,637 patients (mean age 52 years (SD 17.79)) presenting with a wide range of foot and ankle pathologies between January 2013 and December 2021. To assess whether the MOxFQ responses vary by anatomical region of foot and ankle disease, we performed multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. To assess the structural validity of the subscale items, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Results. Measurement invariance by pathology was confirmed, suggesting the same model can be used across all foot and ankle anatomical regions. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated a two- to three-factor model, and suggested that item 13 (inability to carry out work/everyday activities) and item 14 (inability to undertake social/recreational activities) loaded more positively onto the “walking/standing” subscale than their original “social interaction” subscale. Conclusion. This large cohort study supports the current widespread use of the MOxFQ across a broad range of foot and ankle pathologies. Our analyses found indications that could support alterations to the original factor structure (items 13 and 14 might be moved from the “social interaction” to the “walking/standing” subscale). However, this requires further work to confirm. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(3):256–261

Aims. Achilles tendon re-rupture (ATRR) poses a significant risk of postoperative complication, even after a successful initial surgical repair. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with Achilles tendon re-rupture following operative fixation. Methods. This retrospective cohort study analyzed a total of 43,287 patients from national health claims data spanning 2008 to 2018, focusing on patients who underwent surgical treatment for primary Achilles tendon rupture. Short-term ATRR was defined as cases that required revision surgery occurring between six weeks and one year after the initial surgical repair, while omitting cases with simultaneous infection or skin necrosis. Variables such as age, sex, the presence of Achilles tendinopathy, and comorbidities were systematically collected for the analysis. We employed multivariate stepwise logistic regression to identify potential risk factors associated with short-term ATRR. Results. From 2009 to 2018, the short-term re-rupture rate for Achilles tendon surgeries was 2.14%. Risk factors included male sex, younger age, and the presence of Achilles tendinopathy. Conclusion. This large-scale, big-data study reaffirmed known risk factors for short-term Achilles tendon re-rupture, specifically identifying male sex and younger age. Moreover, this study discovered that a prior history of Achilles tendinopathy emerges as an independent risk factor for re-rupture, even following initial operative fixation. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2024;13(7):315–320

Aims. This study evaluated the effect of treating clinician speciality on management of zone 2 fifth metatarsal fractures. Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with acute zone 2 fifth metatarsal fractures who presented to a single large, urban, academic medical centre between December 2012 and April 2022. Zone 2 was the region of the fifth metatarsal base bordered by the fourth and fifth metatarsal articulation on the oblique radiograph. The proportion of patients allowed to bear weight as tolerated immediately after injury was compared between patients treated by orthopaedic surgeons and podiatrists. The effects of unrestricted weightbearing and foot and/or ankle immobilization on clinical healing were assessed. A total of 487 patients with zone 2 fractures were included (mean age 53.5 years (SD 16.9), mean BMI 27.2 kg/m. 2. (SD 6.0)) with a mean follow-up duration of 2.57 years (SD 2.64). Results. Overall, 281 patients (57.7%) were treated by orthopaedic surgeons, and 206 patients (42.3%) by podiatrists. When controlling for age, sex, and time between symptom onset and presentation, the likelihood of undergoing operative treatment was significantly greater when treated by a podiatrist (odds ratio (OR) 2.9 (95% CI 1.2 to 8.2); p = 0.029). A greater proportion of patients treated by orthopaedic surgeons were allowed to immediately bear weight on the injured foot (70.9% (178/251) vs 47.3% (71/150); p < 0.001). Patients treated by podiatrists were immobilized for significantly longer (mean 8.4 weeks (SD 5.7) vs 6.8 weeks (SD 4.3); p = 0.002) and experienced a significantly longer mean time to clinical healing (12.1 (SD 10.6) vs 9.0 weeks (SD 7.3), p = 0.003). Conclusion. Although there was considerable heterogeneity among zone 2 fracture management, orthopaedic surgeons were less likely to treat patients operatively and more likely to allow early full weightbearing compared to podiatrists. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(9):942–948

Background. Patients who undergo either primary or revision total ankle replacement (TAR) expect improvements in pain, function and quality of life. The goal of this study was to measure the functional outcome improvements and the difference in patient-reported outcomes in patients undergoing primary total ankle replacements compared to revision TAR. Methods. A single-center prospective cohort study was undertaken between 2016 and 2022. All patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months. Patients undertook the Manchester Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MoxFQ) and EQ-5D health quality questionnaires pre-operatively, at 6 months and yearly for life. The Mann Whitney test was undertaken for statistical analysis. Results. A total of 165 primary and 71 revision ankle replacements were performed between 2016 and 2022. The mean age was 71 years for primary replacements and 69 years for revisions. The INFINITY was utilized in the majority of primary total ankle replacements. Revision replacements were either the INBONE II or INVISION and they were most often revising the MOBILITY implant. The main indication for revision was aseptic loosening (83%). Other causes included infection, malalignment and insert wear. The overall MoxFQ improved by a mean of 46.5 for primaries and 40.2 for revisions. The EQ-5D score also showed overall improvements with the mean difference in mobility increasing by 1.6. Conclusion. Both primary and revision ankle replacements result in improved functional scores at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years. In this cohort with the implants used, both primary and revision ankle replacements demonstrate similar improvements in functional scores

Background. The Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOxFQ) is a condition specific patient reported outcome measure (PROM) for foot and ankle surgery. It consists of 16 items across three subscales measuring distinct, but related traits: walking/standing ability, pain, and social interaction. Although it is the most used foot and ankle PROM in the UK, initial MOxFQ validation involved analysis of only 100 individuals undergoing hallux valgus surgery. This project aimed to establish whether an individual's response to the MOxFQ varies with anatomical region of disease (measurement invariance), and to explore structural validity of the factor structure (subscale items) of the MOxFQ. Methods. This was a single-centre, prospective cohort study involving 6640 patients (mean age 52, range 10–90 years) presenting with a wide range of foot and ankle pathologies between 2013 and 2021. Firstly, to assess whether the MOxFQ responses vary by anatomical region of foot and ankle disease, we performed multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Secondly, to assess the structural validity of the subscale items, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Results. Measurement invariance by pathology was confirmed suggesting the same model can be used across all foot and ankle anatomical regions. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated a 2–3 factor model, and suggested that item 13 (inability to carry out my work/everyday activities) and item 14 (inability to undertake social/recreational activities) loaded more positively onto the walking/standing subscale than their original social interaction subscale. Conclusions. This large-cohort study supports the current widespread use of the MOxFQ across a broad range of foot and ankle pathologies. Items 13 and 14 might be better moved from the “social interaction” to the “walking/standing” subscale and this may have future implications for deriving/analysing subscale scores

Background. Traditionally, the extended lateral approach (ELA) was the favoured approch for calcaneal fractures, but has been reported to have high incidence of wound complications. There has been a move amongst surgeons in the United Kingdom towards the sinus tarsi approach (STA) due to its minimally invasive nature, attempting to reduce such complications. Aims. To evaluate outcomes of ELA and STA for all consecutive calcaneal fracture fixation in our institution over a 10yr period. Method. Retrospective cohort study of all calcaneal fractures surgically treated with either approach between January 2008 and January 2018. Anatomic restoration was assessed radiologically by the change in Gissane's and Bohler's angles and calcaneal width. Post-operative complications including metalwork removal were recorded. Results. 35 calcaneal fractures were managed surgically via either approach during this period (21 STA and 14 ELA). There was a statistically significant improvement in the radiological makers when the post-operative films were compared to pre-operative ones. When the post-operative films from the 2 groups were compared against each other, there was no significant difference (p< 0.05) in any of the radiological markers. In the ELA group, 2 patients (14.3%) developed deep infections requiring metalwork removal and 1 had delayed wound healing (7.1%). No deep infections occurred with the STA; 1 patient (4.8%) had a superficial infection, treated with antibiotics. Of patients who had metalwork in situ for more than 1 year, 37.5% of the STA group required removal due to pain compared to only 16.7% with ELA. Conclusions. We have moved from ELA to STA. Our results have shown no difference in restoration of calcaneal anatomy but with a decrease in post-operative wound complications including infection. However, we have shown an increase in metalware removal in the STA group and it is important to ascertain the cause and significance of this

Background. Ankle fractures associated with diabetes experience more complications following standard Open-Reduction-Internal-Fixation (ORIF) than those without diabetes. Augmented fixation strategies namely extended ORIF and hind-foot-nail (HFN) may offer better results, and early weightbearing in this group. The aim of this study was to define the population of patients with diabetes undergoing primary fixation for ankle fractures. Secondarily, to assess the utilisation of standard and augmented strategies and the effect of these choices on surgical outcomes including early post-operative weight bearing and surgical complications. Methods. A national-multicentre retrospective cohort study was conducted between January to June 2019 in 56 centres (10 Major- Trauma-Centres and 46 Trauma-Units) in the United Kingdom; 1360 specifically defined complex ankle-fractures were enrolled. Demographics, fixation choice, surgical and functional outcomes were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed to compare high-risk patients with/without diabetes. Results. There were 316 patients in the diabetes cohort with mean age 63.9yrs (vs. 49.3yrs in non-diabetes cohort), and greater frailty score >4 (24% vs.14% (non-diabetes cohort) (p<0.03); 7.5% had documented neuropathy. In the diabetes cohort, 79.7% underwent standard ORIF, 7.1% extended ORIF and 10.2% a HFN compared to 87.7%, 3.0% and 10.3% in the non-diabetes cohort. Surgical wound complications after standard-ORIF were higher in the diabetes cohort (15.1% vs. 8.7%) (p<0.02) but patients with diabetes who underwent augmented techniques showed little difference in surgical outcomes/complications to non-diabetes, even though early-weight- bearing rates were greater than standard-ORIF. Conclusion. Ankle fractures in diabetes occur in older, frailer patients; whilst lower than expected neuropathy rates suggest a need for improved assessment. Augmented surgical techniques may allow earlier weight-bearing without increasing complications in keeping with modern guidelines in ankle fracture management

Introduction. Diabetic foot disease is a major public health problem with an annual NHS expenditure in excess of £1 billion. Infection increases risk of major amputation fivefold. Due to the polymicrobial nature of diabetic foot infections, it is often difficult to isolate the correct organism with conventional culture techniques, to deliver appropriate narrow spectrum antibiotics. Rapid DNA-based technology using multi-channel arrays presents a quicker alternative and has previously been used effectively in intensive care and respiratory medicine. Methods. We gained institutional and Local Ethics Committee approval for a prospective cohort study of patients with clinically infected diabetic foot wounds. They all had deep tissue samples taken in clinic processed with conventional culture and real-time PCR TaqMan array. Results. 50 samples were taken from 39 patients between October 2020 and March 2022. 84% of patient were male, 88% had type 2 diabetes. The ulcers were of variable chronicity prior to sampling (range 1–113 weeks) and mean HbA1c was 67.2mmol/mol. Ulcers were on the heel (3), midfoot (6) and forefoot (41). Minimum follow up was 3 months. 6 ulcers healed, 24 patients were admitted due to foot disease, there were 2 major amputations and 4 deaths. TaqMan array results were available a mean of 4.3 days earlier than culture results. 9 patients had negative conventional cultures and 8 were negative onarray testing. 17 patients had the same organisms detected on culture and array. 16 of these 17 had additional organisms detected by array. The most frequent organisms detected on array that were not detected by culture were Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacter, Pseudomonas and fungi. Conclusion. TaqMan array shows promise in detecting infecting organisms from diabetic foot wounds and providing earlier results than standard culture, which may enable appropriate and timely antibiotic therapy

Aims. Implant failure has become more common as the number of primary total ankle arthroplasties (TAAs) performed has increased. Although revision arthroplasty has gained attention for functional preservation, the long-term results remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the long-term outcomes of revision TAA using a mobile-bearing prosthesis in a considerably large cohort; the risk factors for failure were also determined. Methods. This single-centre retrospective cohort study included 116 patients (117 ankles) who underwent revision TAA for failed primary TAA between July 2000 and March 2010. Survival analysis and risk factor assessment were performed, and clinical performance and patient satisfaction were evaluated preoperatively and at last follow-up. Results. The mean duration from initial revision TAA to last follow-up was 15.0 years (SD 3.0; 11.2 to 20.5). The cumulative survival rates of the revised ankles were 81% (95% confidence interval (CI) 74% to 88%), 74% (65% to 82%), and 70% (61% to 79%) at five, ten, and 15 years, respectively. Comorbidities prior to primary TAA, aseptic loosening, instability, or grafting of cysts were found to be the most common risk factors for secondary revision. The median value for preoperative pain, as assessed using the visual analogue scale, declined from 6 (interquartile range (IQR) 5 to 8) to 2 (IQR 0 to 5) (p < 0.001) and the mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score improved from 43 (SD 17) preoperatively to 70 (SD 20) (p < 0.001) at last follow-up. Conclusion. Revision TAA offers acceptable survival rates after 15 years; it therefore offers a valuable option for treatment of implant failure in carefully selected cases. Although patient-reported outcomes improve substantially, the degree of improvement reported following primary TAA is not achieved. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(1):46–52

Aims. The Cartiva synthetic cartilage implant (SCI) entered mainstream use in the management of first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) arthritis following the positive results of large trials in 2016. Limited information is available on the longer-term outcomes of this implant within the literature, particularly when independent from the originator. This single-centre cohort study investigates the efficacy of the Cartiva SCI at up to five years. Methods. First MTPJ arthritis was radiologically graded according to the Hattrup and Johnson (HJ) classification. Preoperative and sequential postoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were evaluated using the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ), and the activities of daily living (ADL) sub-section of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM). Results. Patients were followed up for a mean of 66 months (SD 7.1). Of an initial 66 cases, 16 did not return PROM questionnaires. A total of six failures were noted, with survival of 82%. Overall, significant improvement in both objective scores (MOXFQ and FAAM ADL) was maintained versus preoperatively: 18.2 versus 58.0 (p > 0.001) and 86.2 versus 41.1 (p > 0.001), respectively. The improvement was noted to be less pronounced in males. Subjective scores had deteriorated since early follow-up, with an interval decrease in patient satisfaction from 89% to 68%. Furthermore, a subset of cases demonstrated clinically important interval deterioration in objective scores. However, no specific patient factors were found to be associated with outcomes following analysis. Conclusion. This study represents the longest-term independent follow-up in the literature. It shows reassuring mid-term efficacy of the Cartiva SCI with better-than-expected survival. However, deterioration in scores for a subset of patients and lower satisfaction may predict ongoing failure in this group of patients. Additionally, males were noted to have a lower degree of improvement in scores than females. As such, ongoing observation of the SCI to assess durability and survivability, and identify predictive factors, is key to improving patient selection. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(9):799–805

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in patient characteristics and clinical outcomes that occur with age as a statistical variable when performing autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) for the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT). Methods. A retrospective cohort study for AOT procedures on 78 patients from 2006 to 2019. was conducted Clinical outcomes were evaluated via FAOS scores. A multivariable linear regression was used to assess the independent factors predictive of the first post-operative FAOS after AOT. The independent variables included pre-operative FAOS, age, defect size, shoulder lesion, cystic lesion, prior traumatic injury, and history of microfracture surgery. A p-value <.05 was considered significant and 95% confidence limits (95% CL) for regression coefficient estimates (est.) were calculated. Results. 78 patients were included with a mean age of 35.5 ± 13.6years at a mean follow-up was 54.4 ± 18.9 months. The mean pre-operative FAOS was 54.3 ± 19.4 and the mean post-operative FAOS was 83.4 ± 13.6. The mean defect size was 109.3±62.4 mm2. The multivariable linear regression showed that the pre-operative FAOS was associated with a higher post-operative FAOS (est., 95% CL: 0.16, 0.012 – 0.307; p=0.034). Defect size (est., 95% CL: −0.05, −0.097 – −0.003; p=0.0358), having a shoulder lesion (est., 95% CL: −9.068, −15.448 – −2.688; p=0.006), or having a prior microfracture surgery (est., 95% CL: −7.07, −13.118 – −1.021; p=0.0226) were associated with a lower post-operative FAOS. Conclusion. Patient age was not an independent risk factor for inferior clinical outcomes after AOT for OLT. Additionally, cystic lesions, or lesions with a traumatic aetiology were not significantly associated with post-operative FAOS. Having a shoulder lesion had the largest marginal effect on post-operative FAOS. These findings provide important information for providers when counseling and selecting patients for AOT procedure for treatment of OLT

Introduction. Primary ankle arthroplasty (TAR) is increasingly used to treat end-stage ankle arthritis. Reported revision rates of TAR vary from 8.5% to 11.1% at 9 years. Revision surgery remains technically challenging with options ranging from simple joint debridement to tibio-talar-calcaneal fusion. The efficacy of these procedures remains unclear and there is no consensus on optimal revision options. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was performed of all patients undergoing surgery for a failed primary TAR at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (2004–2021). TAR failure was determined by clinical assessment, serial radiographs and CT scans. Primary outcome measures included type and time of index surgery post TAR. Secondary outcomes included frequency of re-operations, post-operative complications, patient reported outcomes and union rate (for revision arthrodesis procedures). Results. 70 failed TARs in 69 patients (35M:34F, mean 65.7 years, s.d.=11.6) underwent re-operation a mean of 6.24 years (range 1–30) post primary. In total, 107 operations were performed including revision fusion (n=50), revision arthroplasty (n=14), bearing exchange (n=9) and joint clearance (n=9). The overall revision fusion union rate was 73.5% over a mean of 12.5 months (s.d.=7.6). 16/23 (69.6%) Tibio-Talo-Calcaneal and 9/12 (75%) ankle fusions (previous subtalar/triple fusion) using a hindfoot nail united over a mean 11.4 months (s.d.=6.0) and 15 months (s.d.=9.48) respectively. Only 64% of ankle fusions using screws alone united (mean=10.6 months, s.d.=8.14). The average post-operative MOXFQ score was 28.3 (s.d.=19.3). 73% said the operation improved their function and would recommend it to a friend/family member. Conclusion. Despite low post-operative MOXFQ scores, over 70% of patients were satisfied with re-operation for a failed TAR. Over 26% of all TAR revision fusions fail to unite with the highest non-union rates observed post ankle arthrodesis with screws alone (36.4%)

Aims

This scoping review aims to identify patient-related factors associated with a poorer outcome following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA).

Aims

To describe outcome reporting variation and trends in non-pharmacological randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of distal tibia and/or ankle fractures.

Aims. This prospective cohort study aims to determine if the size of the tendon gap following acute rupture of the Achilles tendon shows an association with the functional outcome following non-operative treatment. . Patients and Methods. All patients presenting within two weeks of an acute unilateral rupture of the Achilles tendon between July 2012 and July 2015 were considered for the study. In total, 38 patients (nine female, 29 male, mean age 52 years; 29 to 78) completed the study. Dynamic ultrasound examination was performed to confirm the diagnosis and measure the gap between ruptured tendon ends. Outcome was assessed using dynamometric testing of plantarflexion and the Achilles tendon Total Rupture score (ATRS) six months after the completion of a rehabilitation programme. Results. Patients with a gap ≥ 10 mm with the ankle in the neutral position had significantly greater peak torque deficit than those with gaps < 10 mm (mean 23.3%; 7% to 52% vs 14.3%; 0% to 47%, p = 0.023). However, there was no difference in ATRS between the two groups (mean score 87.2; 74 to 100 vs 87.4; 68 to 97, p = 0.467). There was no significant correlation between gap size and torque deficit (τ = 0.103), suggesting a non-linear relationship. There was also no significant correlation between ATRS and peak torque deficit (τ = -0.305). . Conclusion . This is the first study to identify an association between tendon gap and functional outcome in acute rupture of the Achilles tendon. We have identified 10 mm as a gap size at which deficits in plantarflexion strength become significantly greater, however, the precise relationship between gap size and plantarflexion strength remains unclear. Large, multicentre studies will be needed to clarify this relationship and identify population subgroups in whom deficits in peak torque are reflected in patient-reported outcome measures. . Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:87–93

Objectives. The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical stability and clinical outcome of external fixator combined with limited internal fixation (EFLIF) and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in treating Sanders type 2 calcaneal fractures. Methods. Two types of fixation systems were selected for finite element analysis and a dual cohort study. Two fixation systems were simulated to fix the fracture in a finite element model. The relative displacement and stress distribution were analysed and compared. A total of 71 consecutive patients with closed Sanders type 2 calcaneal fractures were enrolled and divided into two groups according to the treatment to which they chose: the EFLIF group and the ORIF group. The radiological and clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared. Results. The relative displacement of the EFLIF was less than that of the plate (0.1363 mm to 0.1808 mm). The highest von Mises stress value on the plate was 33% higher than that on the EFLIF. A normal restoration of the Böhler angle was achieved in both groups. No significant difference was found in the clinical outcome on the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Ankle Hindfoot Scale, or on the Visual Analogue Scale between the two groups (p > 0.05). Wound complications were more common in those who were treated with ORIF (p = 0.028). Conclusions. Both EFLIF and ORIF systems were tested to 160 N without failure, showing the new construct to be mechanically safe to use. Both EFLIF and ORIF could be effective in treating Sanders type 2 calcaneal fractures. The EFLIF may be superior to ORIF in achieving biomechanical stability and less blood loss, shorter surgical time and hospital stay, and fewer wound complications. Cite this article: M. Pan, L. Chai, F. Xue, L. Ding, G. Tang, B. Lv. Comparisons of external fixator combined with limited internal fixation and open reduction and internal fixation for Sanders type 2 calcaneal fractures: Finite element analysis and clinical outcome. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:433–438. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.67.2000640

In this retrospective cohort study, we analysed the incidence and functional outcome of a distal tibiofibular synostosis. Patients with an isolated AO type 44-B or C fracture of the ankle who underwent surgical treatment between 1995 and 2007 were invited for clinical and radiological review. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons score and a visual analogue score for pain were used to assess outcome. A total of 274 patients were available; the mean follow-up was 9.7 years (8 to 18). The extent of any calcification or synostosis at the level of the distal interosseous membrane or syndesmosis on the contemporary radiographs was defined as: no or minor calcifications (group 1), severe calcification (group 2), or complete synostosis (group 3). . A total of 222 (81%) patients were in group 1, 37 (14%) in group 2 and 15 (5%) in group 3. There was no significant difference in incidence between AO type 44-B and type 44-C fractures (p = 0.89). Severe calcification or synostosis occurred in 21 patients (19%) in whom a syndesmotic screw was used and in 31 (19%) in whom a syndesmotic screw was not used.(p = 0.70). No significant differences were found between the groups except for a greater reduction in mean dorsiflexion in group 2 (p = 0.004). . This is the largest study on distal tibiofibular synostosis, and we found that a synostosis is a frequent complication of surgery for a fracture of the ankle. Although it theoretically impairs the range of movement of the ankle, it did not affect the outcome. . Our findings suggest that synostosis of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis in general does not warrant treatment. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:945–9