Degenerative changes at the knee and ankle related to malunion of tibial fractures. 15-year follow-up of 88 patients
Van der Schoot, D.K.; Den Outer, A.J.; Bode, P.J.; Obermann, W.R.; van Vugt, A.B.
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British Volume 78(5): 722-725
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-620X PMID: 8836057 Document Number: 469105
We re-examined clinically and radiologically 88 patients with a fracture of the lower leg at a mean follow-up of 15 years. Forty-three fractures (49%) had healed with malalignment of at least 5 degrees. More arthritis was found in the knee and ankle adjacent to the fracture than in the comparable joints of the uninjured leg. Malaligned fractures showed significantly more degenerative changes. Eighteen patients (20%) had symptoms in the fractured leg. There was a significant correlation between symptoms in the knee and arthritis but not between symptoms and ankle arthritis or malalignment. We conclude that fractures of the lower leg should be managed so that the possibility of angular deformity and thereby late arthritis is minimised.