Adolescent Lisfranc injury treated with TightRope(TM): A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND: Lisfranc injuries are rare and can be easily missed. This injury is extremely rare in children, with limited published data. Different treatment options have been described; one of the options in adults is the “mini” TightRope™ Syndesmosis Device that provides non-rigid fixation with impressive results. However, there is no reference regarding the use of this device in children. CASE SUMMARY: We describe the case of an 11-year-old girl who sustained a Lisfranc injury of her right foot that was initially missed in the Accident and Emergency department of her local hospital. This case was a ligamentous/periosteal sleeve avulsion type of Lisfranc injury and a percutaneous technique using the “mini” TightRope™ syndesmosis device was used. Clinical and radiological results were excellent at final follow up. CONCLUSION: The “mini” TightRope™ syndesmosis device is a promising method of fixation for children with certain Lisfranc injuries. This method has many advantages, including the non-rigid type of the fixation and no need for subsequent metalwork removal.