title: Medial joint space widening of the ankle in displaced Tillaux and Triplane fractures in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tillaux and Triplane fractures occur in children predominantly from external rotation mechanism. We hypothesized that in displaced fractures, the talus would shift laterally along with the distal fibula and the distal tibial epiphyseal fragment increasing the medial joint space.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive cases evaluated retrospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level I and Level II centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two skeletally immature patients with 14 displaced Triplane fractures and eight displaced Tillaux fractures were evaluated for medial joint space widening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurement of fracture displacement and medial joint space widening before and after intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen Triplane and six Tillaux fractures (86%) showed medial space widening of 1 to 9 mm and equal to the amount of fracture displacement. Reduction of the fracture reduced the medial space to normal. There were no known complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medial space widening of the ankle may be a sign of ankle fracture displacement. Anatomic reduction of the fracture reduces the medial space and may improve the results in Tillaux and Triplane fractures.
authors.affiliation: Division Head of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Advocate Hope Children's Hospital, Oak Lawn, IL, USA. gourineni@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Prasad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gourineni
authors.forename: Asheesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D004838:Epiphyses; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*