title: Management of displaced ankle fractures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ankle fractures excluding pilon fractures, account for approximately 9% of all fractures with the majority being OTA type B injuries. Although surgeons generally treat undisplaced or minimally displaced injuries nonoperatively and displaced fractures operatively, opinions diverge regarding the management of those displaced fractures with acceptable closed reduction. There is also debate about the use of biodegradable implants in operatively managed ankle fractures, the type and technique of fixation for operatively treated syndesmotic injuries as well as the approach to postoperative rehabilitation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to review the highest level of available evidence on the operative management of ankle fractures. We focused specifically on studies comparing (1) nonoperative versus operative management of displaced ankle fractures, (2) biodegradable versus metal implants, (3) syndesmotic fixation, and (4) postoperative rehabilitation protocols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton Health Sciences-General Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Brad A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Petrisor
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poolman
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koval
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tornetta
authors.forename: Mohit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhandari
mesh_terms: D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans