title: Efficacy of the Modified Broström Procedure for Adolescent Patients With Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lateral ankle sprains are very common, representing up to 30% of sports-related injuries. The anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and less commonly the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) are injured. Surgical treatment is reserved for injuries that fail nonoperative treatment with recurrent instability. Anatomic repair using the modified Broström technique has been shown to have good clinical outcomes in the adult population. The purpose of this study was to report on the outcomes of the modified Broström technique in the pediatric and adolescent population (under 18 y old) for chronic lateral ankle instability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients over an 8-year period were included in the current study after excluding for congenital malformation or underlying connective tissue disease. All patients were treated with a modified Broström technique in which the ATFL was repaired anatomically. Twenty-four patients (77%) underwent concomitant arthroscopy for intra-articular pathology. Demographic, surgical, and clinical data were collected and outcome scores were obtained, including the Marx activity scale, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) activity score, and modified American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean time from initial injury to surgery averaged 27 months with an overall mean clinical postoperative follow-up of 36 months. Of the 24 patients who underwent concomitant arthroscopy, all had thickening of Bassett ligament and 3 (12.5%) had cartilage lesions. Postoperatively, the mean Marx activity score was 9.9±4.7, mean UCLA score was 9.3±1.3, and mean modified AOFAS score was 83.8±11.7. 71% (22 of 31) of patients achieved good-to-excellent results (as defined by a modified AOFAS score of 80 or greater). Two patients had superficial wound infections; no other complications were experienced in this cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lateral ankle sprains are common injuries that can frequently be treated nonoperatively; chronic instability may result despite appropriate therapy. Surgical treatment with anatomic repair of the ATFL and CFL using the modified Broström technique in pediatric and adolescent patients results in improved stability, low complication rate, and good clinical outcome scores.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level IV-prognostic retrospective case series.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Sports Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital †Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Mininder S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kocher
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Fabricant
authors.forename: Adam Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Nasreddine
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stenquist
authors.forename: Dennis E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Jared T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D017844:Lateral Ligament, Ankle / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies