The epidemic of ankle fractures in the elderly - is surgical treatment warranted?

Salai, M Dudkiewicz, I Novikov, I Amit, Y Chechick, A

M. Salai et al., The epidemic of ankle fractures in the elderly - is surgical treatment warranted?, ARCH ORTHOP, 120(9), 2000, pp. 511-513

13

INGLESE

Article

Ortopedics, Rehabilitation & Sport Medicine

ARCHIVES OF ORTHOPAEDIC AND TRAUMA SURGERY

0936-8051 → ACNP

120

9

2000

511 - 513

ISI

0936-8051(200008)120:9<511:TEOAFI>2.0.ZU;2-G

Ankle fractures in the elderly are extremely common (up to 184 fractures pe r 100,000 persons per year, and of these approximately 20%-30% occur in the elderly). The medical literature contains no research that has investigate d ankle fractures in the elderly. A prospective, randomised study was condu cted of 84 patients with displaced ankle fractures, who were over the age o f 65 years and were assigned to operative or conservative treatment after c losed reduction. The results of treatment assessed according to the America n Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Score showed a mean of 91.37 +/ - 8.96 in the non-operated group compared with 75.2 +/- 14.38 (P = 0.001) i n the operated group. The costs of treatment were accordingly higher. These results call for consideration of a non-operative approach to the treatmen t of well-reduced ankle fractures in the elderly. Increased efforts should be invested in the prevention of these common fractures.