Clinical study of intramedullary nailing fixation for the treatment of Danis-Weber B in lateral malleolus fracture

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effects between anatomical locking plates and interlocking intramedullary nails in patients with Danis-Weber B lateral malleolus fractures. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled patients with Danis-Weber B fractures of the lateral malleolus. All the operations were completed by the same group of surgeons. The reduction effect, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, fracture healing time and ankle functional outcomes (Olerud-Molander Ankle Score [OMAS]) were compared. Postoperative complications, including incision infections, fixation discomfort and internal fixation loosening, were also compared. RESULTS: This study enrolled 73 patients that were treated with either an anatomical locking plate (locking plate group; n = 37) or an interlocking intramedullary nail (intramedullary nail group; n = 36). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of reduction effect, hospital stay and OMAS. The intramedullary nail group had significantly lower operation time, intraoperative blood loss and fracture healing time compared with the locking plate group. Postoperative complications in the intramedullary nail group were significantly lower compared with the locking plate group. CONCLUSION: Using intramedullary nails resulted in more satisfactory functional outcomes compared with using locking plates in patients with Danis-Weber B fractures of the lateral malleolus.