ISSN: 1859 - 2872
Clinical and imaging characteristics of posterior malleolus fracture: Radiography and computed tomography evaluation
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Abstract
Objective: To describe the clinical, epidemiological, and diagnostic imaging characteristics (X-rays and CT scan) of posterior malleolus fracture (PMF). Subject and method: A descriptive study was conducted on 43 patients with a posterior malleolus fracture who underwent internal osteosynthesis at 108 Military Central Hospital from September 2015 to June 2025. Result: Research indicates that PMF rarely occurs in isolation, typically combining with trimalleolar fractures (51.2% of cases). Clinical symptoms such as fixed tenderness, swelling, and loss of ankle function were observed in 100% of patients, with anterior foot shortening noted in 53.48% of cases. Comparative analysis showed that step-off exceeding 3mm was detected in a significantly higher percentage of cases on CT-scan (38%) than on X-rays (17%). High rates of associated instability were observed, including posterior talar subluxation (30.23%) and tibiofibular syndesmosis widening (79%). Complex fracture types (Bartonicek Type C: 42.9%; Type B: 38.1%) were dominant among assessed cases. Conclusion: CT-scan is the essential tool for accurately determining the morphology and the degree of articular step-off. CT scan should be applied in patients with a posterior malleolus fracture.
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References
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