[Long-term results in the treatment of foot injuries in polytraumatized patients].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of multiple injured patients with foot injuries. While severity and frequency of multiple injuries could be decreased in the last years, it was not possible to decrease the severity of injuries of the foot and ankle region. These injuries are often not detected and their severity is underestimated in primarily diagnostics what might lead to complaints in the longterm course.


METHODS
The multiple trauma database of the Department of Traumatology of the University of Vienna includes 386 patients from September 1992 to April 2001. 40 (10.4 %) of these patients suffered a fracture or dislocation of foot or ankle. 33 (82.5 %) multiple injured patients with injuries of foot or ankle could be reexamined between April and September 2002 and the longterm outcome of the foot and ankle region could be evaluated objectively and subjectively.


RESULTS
22 (66.7 %) patients were male, 11 (33.3 %) female. The mean age was 34.5 years. 27 (81.8 %) patients still suffered from complaints related to their injured foot and ankle region. After calculation of the AOFAS these complaints were predominantly located in the ankle-hindfoot region. 22 (66.7 %) patients had to limit their sports activity.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study period an increasing number and severity of injuries of foot or ankle can be shown. Furthermore multiple injured patients with concomitant injuries of foot or ankle show a lower ISS what suggests that these patients might have a higher survival rate and consecutively enter rehabilitation process.
Weninger
P
P
Lorenz-Böhler-Unfall-Krankenhaus, Wien. patrick.weninger@gmx.net
Nau
T
T
Aldrian
S
S
Vécsei
V
V
D015998:Abbreviated Injury Scale; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D019992:Databases as Topic; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology