Displaced ankle fractures in the over-55 years of age. Operative versus nonoperative treatment: a prospective randomized trial
摘要
In a prospective randomized trial patients aged 55 years and over with a displaced ankle fracture were randomized to either internal fixation (group A) or closed manipulation and plaster (group B). Exclusion criteria were fractures irreducible by closed manipulation under anaesthesia, pre-existing ankle pathology including previous fractures, and intra-articular fractures. Patients were reviewed by the same surgeon clinically, radiologically and functionally using an outcome score (Olerud and Molander), at 3 months, and 1 and 5 years.