Evaluation of clinical scorings and secondary cartilage lesions in conservatively or surgically treated patients due to ankle fracture

Ankle fractures, which are increasingly common in recent years, are particularly prevalent among young, active individuals and osteoporotic elderly women. The purpose of the treatment of ankle fractures is to bring the patient to a painless and functional ankle joint. For this an ankle fracture should be considered as a whole and not only be regarded as bone pathology. Clinical evaluations in conservative or surgically treated patients are affected by a variety of pathologies, such as ankle instability, posttraumatic arthritis, and osteochondral lesions. The purpose of our study is to investigate the secondary cartilage lesions accompanying in conservative or surgically treated patients after ankle fracture and to evaluate clinical scoring. A total of 56 patients with ankle fractures treated conservatively or surgically were included in this study. Of the 56 patients, 19 were female and 37 were male. The average age of the patients was 44,6. 29 patients had right ankle and 27 patients had left ankle fracture. 30 patients were treated surgically and 26 patients were treated conservatively. MR images were evaluated after the treatment of the fracture was completed (average 6-8 weeks after ankle fracture).Talus OKD was detected in 19 patients, and was not detected in 37 patients. A statistically significant relationship was found between the presence of talus OKD and the side of fractured extremity. Patients with Talus OKD were more likely to have a right ankle fracture (p<0.05).There was no statistically significant relationship in between treatment style and talus OKD. Clinical scoring of VAS and AOFAS were determined after union was completed. The VAS result of 16 of 19 patients with talus OKD was 0(p<0,05). However, group and numerical evaluations of AOFAS results were not statistically significant (p> 0,05). There are many studies in the literature evaluating osteochondral lesions associated with ankle fractures and their effects on treatment outcome. The results of our study are generally consistent with the literature, but the low amount of patients and the lack of long follow-up time have affected our results. Therefore, more patient series and longer follow-up studies are required.