Metrics details. Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis MIPO has been reported to be superior to open reduction and internal fixation ORIF in the treatment of different long bone fractures.
Nevertheless, in distal fibula fractures, the evidence of MIPO remains scarce. A consecutive series of patients who underwent surgery using either ORIF or MIPO for the treatment of distal fibula fractures between and were retrospectively analyzed.
In addition, complications of postoperative fracture-related infection, wound healing disorders, vascular and nerve injury and development of nonunion were evaluated and analyzed. Radiologic outcome measures assessing the talocrural angle, lateral and medial clear space, tibiofibular overlap, and talar tilt angle were evaluated postoperatively. The tibiofibular overlap demonstrated to be significantly lower in the ORIF group 3. The talocrural angle, talar tilt angle, and lateral and medial clear space showed to be equivalent in both groups.
In this retrospective single-center consecutive series, MIPO was superior to ORIF in the surgical treatment of distal fibula fractures with respect to the overall complication rate. Ankle injuries are among the most common traumatic pathologies treated in emergency departments worldwide, and lateral malleolus fractures represent one of the most common indications for open reduction and internal fixation ORIF [ 1 , 2 , 3 ].
The ORIF of complex ankle fractures is a demanding procedure and associated with a considerable number of complications, mainly because of the thin soft tissue and skin layer covering the bone in this particular region [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. The importance of respecting the biological status in the management of fractures is nowadays emphasized by a large number of publications investigating the possible harm of standard approaches on surrounding soft tissues [ 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ].
