title: Staged treatment of pilon fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate outcomes following staged anterolateral plating of pilon fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 5 year period, patients with pilon fractures received four treatment regimens (staged anterolateral plating, staged medial plating, definitive external fixation, early total care). We defined five outcomes (reduction, soft tissue complications, infection, non-union, malunion) and assessed the outcome of fractures treated by these interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Staged anterolateral plating or staged medial plating achieved comparable reduction and soft tissue complications. Staged medial plating had higher infection rates, malunion and non-union rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Staged anterolateral plating is superior to staged medial plating in the management of pilon fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, PSGIMSR, Coimbatore, India.
authors.forename: Chenthuran
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deivaraju
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vlasak
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Kalia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sadasivan
keywords: Ankle fractures; Ankle joint; Fibula; Soft tissue injuries; Tibial fractures