title: Percutaneous Plating of Weber B Fibular Fractures.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to describe a minimally invasive percutaneous technique for plating Weber B distal fibular fractures and to evaluate its efficacy by measuring patient outcomes and hardware removal rates. The data from 17 patients undergoing percutaneous plating of a distal fibular (Weber B) fracture were prospectively studied. A 4- to 6-hole semitubular plate with 3 screws was used for percutaneously plating. The Roles and Maudsley score was used to assess the patients' activity level. All fibular fractures had healed clinically and radiographically by 8 weeks after surgery. The postoperative Roles and Maudsley scores had improved significantly. The time required to return to activity was 4.3 ± 2.0 months. Hardware removal was required in 3 patients during the study period, which had an average of almost 4 years postoperatively. The results of the present study have demonstrated that percutaneous plating is an effective surgical option for treating Weber B distal fibular fractures.
authors.affiliation: Director, Department of Sports Medicine, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto, CA. Electronic address: heysax@aol.com.
authors.forename: Amol
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.affiliation: Fellow, Department of Sports Medicine, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto, CA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D017102:Fracture Healing; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: MIPO; Weber B; ankle fracture; minimally invasive