#Pilon fracture ankle skin#

Deep tissue over the bone is closed with sutures and the skin is closed with sutures or staples. The incision is then sewn together in layers. Special care is taken to restore the length of the fibula. The broken fragments are put back together and held in place with a metal plate and screws. ORIF of the broken fibula involves an open incision over the bone. The fibula may be fixed at the same time if the skin is not damaged. The external fixator helps to hold the leg and ankle in proper position while the patient’s soft tissues improve. They attach to metal bars outside the skin. The pins are placed through small incisions that minimize damage to the soft tissues. When an external fixator is applied surgically to the patient’s leg, steel pins are placed in the tibia far above the fracture and also in the heel (calcaneus) and foot (metatarsals) bones far below the fracture. The fibula may also receive an ORIF if it was not fixed in the first stage. The second stage of surgical treatment is to remove the external fixator and fix the tibia fracture using plates and screws. Patients often are asked to elevate their leg to quickly reduce their swelling to prepare for the second stage. In some cases the external fixator is used as the final treatment and is kept in place for many weeks to months. The wait does not affect overall results. This delay can be frustrating for the patient, but it may be necessary to minimize the risk of a wound healing problem. It may take several weeks after the first surgery before the patient’s soft tissues improve and the leg is ready for the second stage of surgical treatment. This part of the procedure is known as open reduction and internal fixation of the fibula (ORIF). The fibula fracture may be treated at the same time the external fixator is placed. This allows both the patient and surgeon to regularly inspect the soft tissue of the leg and ankle without frequent splint changes. This fixator is a frame applied outside of the leg that holds the leg and ankle in proper position. In many cases the first stage in treating pilon fractures is by surgically applying an external fixator to the patient’s leg. A notable exception would be an open fracture where the bone has penetrated through the skin during the initial bone break. Surgeons often must wait until a patient’s soft tissue improves before incisions can be made. Orthopaedic surgeons do not routinely perform incisions through areas of damaged skin because doing so may result in wound healing problems. Pilon fracture surgery usually is done in two steps to protect the skin and soft tissue. Once the fractures are healed, the goals are to restore your ankle’s movement and strength. The goals of pilon fracture surgery are to restore alignment and stability and allow healing of the tibia and fibula at the ankle joint. These fractured bones often benefit from surgery. There often are large separations between fractured fragments and instability in the tibia and fibula at the ankle joint. Most pilon fractures have multiple breaks. These lower-energy pilon fractures can be treated with a leg cast.

$pilon fracture ankle$

The bones are broken but simply shifted out of place and these injuries tend to be less severe.

$pilon fracture ankle$

These are typically lower-energy injuries to the tibia and fibula at the ankle joint. Some pilon fractures do not need surgical treatment. The sensation may be similar to coming into contact with a sharp object.įoot deformities are a group of congenital and acquired conditions involving structural abnormalities that may affect the bones, tendons, and muscles of your foot. Acute pain usually comes on suddenly in response to an injury and may come and go.

$pilon fracture ankle$