title: Primary Arthrodesis of the Tibiotalar Joint in Severely Comminuted High-Energy Pilon Fractures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of highly comminuted tibial pilon fractures is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness and outcomes of primary arthrodesis following highly comminuted tibial plafond fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A database search was performed to identify all patients who underwent blade plate arthrodesis at our institution over a sixteen-year period. Inclusion criteria included patients with an Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopaedic Trauma Association type-C2 or type-C3 pilon fracture that was deemed to be non-reconstructable by the treating surgeon. Outcomes were measured using the Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey, time to independent walking, time to consolidation of the arthrodesis, and wound-healing complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of twenty patients were included in this study, and seventeen patients (85%) were available for follow-up at a minimum of two years after their surgery. Wound infections or wound dehiscence did not occur in this series. All patients were walking without crutches or a walker at their latest follow-up. One patient developed an aseptic nonunion and healed successfully after revision surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blade plate ankle fusion using a posterior approach is a reliable method for the treatment of a small subset of patients with severely comminuted, non-reconstructable pilon fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC-7774, San Antonio, TX 78229. E-mail address: Zelle@uthscsa.edu.
authors.forename: Boris A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Zelle
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Kaufmann Building, Suite 1011, 3471 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
authors.forename: Gary S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Gruen
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Kaufmann Building, Suite 1011, 3471 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
authors.forename: Ryan L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: McMillen
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 665, Rochester, NY 14642.
authors.forename: Jason Dragavon
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Dahl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D064386:Ankle Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D001174:Arthrodesis / Q000379:methods*; D001860:Bone Plates; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome