Indications and Surgical Treatment of Acute and Chronic Tibiofibular Syndesmotic Injuries with and Without Associated Fractures.

Abstract

Syndesmosis injury may occur in a wide variety of clinical scenarios. Accurate diagnosis and anatomic reconstruction are necessary for optimizing clinical outcomes. The management considerations of syndesmotic injuries with associated proximal fibula fractures are reviewed. Methods to improve the accuracy of syndesmotic reduction are outlined. The management of fractures of the posterior malleolus, Chaput tubercle, and Wagstaffe tubercle is discussed with an emphasis on their contributions to syndesmotic stability. The evolving role of flexible fixation for syndesmosis injuries is discussed. Causes and strategies for dealing with loss of reduction and malreduced syndesmotic injuries are presented.