It is the main weight-bearing bone of the two. Obtain AP and lateral views of the shafts of the tibia and fibula. A CT scan may be required to further characterize the fracture pattern and for surgical planning. Rarely, a fracture of the fibula may be. Anterior tibiofibular ligament disruption, 3. They are also called tibial plafond fractures. Fractures of the fibula can be described by anatomic position as proximal, midshaft, or distal. The fibula is one of the two long bones in the leg, and, in contrast to the tibia, is a non-weight bearing bone in terms of the shaft. Stress Fractures of the Fibula . Distal tibial metaphyseal fractures usually heal well after setting them without surgery and applying a cast. (0/3), Level 5 The deep peroneal nerve innervates the musculature of the anterior compartment and is responsible for the dorsiflexion of the foot and toes. ORIF of fibula fractures; resection of fibula; excision of fibula bone lesions; Internervous plane: Between . Fibula bone fracture is a common injury seen in the emergency room. The tibia is a larger bone on the inside, and the fibula is a smaller bone on the outside. Fractures of the proximal head and neck of the fibula are associated with substantial damage to the knee (. lawnmower) or iatrogenic during surgical dissection, (patterned off adult Lauge-Hansen classification), Adduction or inversion force avulses the distal fibular epiphysis (SH I or II), Rarely occurs with failure of lateral ligaments, Further inversion leads to distal tibial fracture (usually SH III or IV, but can be SH I or II), Occasionally can cause fracture through medial malleolus below the physis, Plantarflexion force displaces the tibial epiphysis posteriorly (SH I or II), Thurston-Holland fragment is composed of the posterior tibial metaphysis and displaces posteriorly, External rotation force leads to distal tibial fracture (SH II), Thurston-Holland fragment displaces posteromedially, Easily visible on AP radiograph (fracture line extends proximally and medially), Further external rotation leads to low spiral fracture of fibula (anteroinferior to posterosuperior), External rotation force leads to distal tibial fracture (SH I or II) and transverse fibula fracture, Occasionally can be transepiphyseal medial malleolus fracture (SH II), Distal tibial fragment displaces laterally, Thurston-Holland fragment is lateral or posterolateral distal tibal metaphysis, Can be associated with diastasis of ankle joint, Leads to SH V injury of distal tibial physis, Can be difficult to identify on initial presentation (diagnosis typically made when growth arrest is seen on follow-up radiographs), distal fibula physeal tenderness may represent non-displaced SHI, full-length tibia (or proximal tibia) to rule out Maisonneuve-type fracture, assess fracture displacement (best obtained post-reduction), non-displaced (< 2mm) isolated distal fibular fracture, displaced (> 2mm) SH I or II fracture with, acceptable closed reduction (no varus, < 10 valgus, < 10 recurvatum/procurvatum, < 3mm physeal widening), or II fracture with unacceptable closed reduction (varus, > 10 valgus, > 10 recurvatum/procurvatum, > 3mm physeal widening) and > 2 years of growth remaining, displaced SH I or II fracture with unacceptable closed reduction (varus, > 10 valgus, > 10 recurvatum/procurvatum, > 3mm physeal widening) and < 2 years of growth remaining, requires adequate sedation and muscle relaxation, only attempt reduction two times to prevent further physeal injury, NWB short-leg cast if isolated distal fibula fracture, NWB long-leg cast if distal tibia fracture, interposed periosteum, tendons, or neurovascular structures, percutaneous manipulation with K wires may aid reduction, open reduction may be required if interposed tissue present, transepiphyseal fixation best if at all possible, high rate associated with articular step-off > 2mm, medial malleolus SH IV fractures have the highest rate of growth disturbance, 15% increased risk of physeal injury for every 1mm of displacement, can represent periosteum entrapped in the fracture site, partial arrests can lead to angular deformity, distal fibular arrest results in ankle valgus defomity, medial distal tibia arrest results in varus deformity, complete arrests can result in leg-length discrepancy, if < 20 degrees of angulation with < 50% physeal involvement and > 2 years of growth remaining, bar of >50% physeal involvement in a patient with at least 2 years of growth, fibular epiphysiodesis helps prevent varus deformity, if < 50% physeal involvement and > 2 years of growth remaining, contralateral epiphysiodesis if near skeletal maturity with significant expected leg-length discrepancy, typically seen in posteriorly displaced fractures, can occur after triplane fractures, SH I or II fractures, usually leads to an increased external foot rotation angle, anterior angulation or plantarflexion deformity, occurs after supination-plantarflexion SH II fractures, occurs after external rotation SH II fractures, treatment options include physical therapy, psychological counseling, drug therapy, sympathetic blockade, Pediatric Pelvis Trauma Radiographic Evaluation, Pediatric Hip Trauma Radiographic Evaluation, Pediatric Knee Trauma Radiographic Evaluation, Pediatric Ankle Trauma Radiographic Evaluation, Distal Humerus Physeal Separation - Pediatric, Proximal Tibia Metaphyseal FX - Pediatric, Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis (CRMO), Obstetric Brachial Plexopathy (Erb's, Klumpke's Palsy), Anterolateral Bowing & Congenital Pseudoarthrosis of Tibia, Clubfoot (congenital talipes equinovarus), Flexible Pes Planovalgus (Flexible Flatfoot), Congenital Hallux Varus (Atavistic Great Toe), Cerebral Palsy - Upper Extremity Disorders, Myelodysplasia (myelomeningocele, spinal bifida), Dysplasia Epiphysealis Hemimelica (Trevor's Disease). - C3 proximal fracture of the fibula. Ankle Fractures - Pediatric - Pediatrics - Orthobullets a combined posterior drawer and external rotation force is then applied to the knee to assess for an increase in posterolateral translation (lateral tibia externally rotates relative to lateral femoral condyle), knee positioned at 90 and external rotation and valgus force applied to tibia, as the knee is extended the tibia reduces with a palpable clunk, tibia reduces from a posterior subluxed position at ~20 of flexion to a reduced position in full extension (reduction force from IT band transitioning from a flexor to an extensor of the knee), altered sensation to dorsum of foot and weak ankle dorsiflexion, approximately 25% of patients have peroneal nerve dysfunction, may see avulsion fracture of the fibula (arcuate fracture ) or femoral condyle, side-to-side difference 2.7-4 mm = isolated LCL tear, primary varus = tibiofemoral malalignment, secondary varus = LCL deficiency with increased lateral opening, triple varus = remaining PLC deficient, overall varus recurvatum alignment, necessary to determine mechanical axis and if a, look for injury to the LCL, popliteus, and biceps tendon, coronal oblique thin-slice through the fibular head are best at visualizing the PLC structures, hinged knee brace locked in extension x4 weeks, followed by progressive functional rehabilitation, midsubstance repair have 40% failure rate following repair, repair of LCL, popliteus tendon and/or popliteofibular ligament should be performed if structures can be, anatomically reduced to their attachment site, avulsion fracture of fibular head can be treated with screws or suture anchors, avulsion injuries where repair is not possible or tissie is poor quality, goal is to reconstruct LCL and the popliteofibular ligament using a free tendon graft (semitendinosus or achilles), soft tissue graft passed through bone tunnel in fibular head, limbs are then crossed to create figure-of-eight and fixed to lateral femur to a single tunnel, trans-tibial double-bundle reconstruction, split achilles tendon is fixed to isometric point of the femoral epicondyle, one tibia-based limb and one fibula-based limb, fibula-limb is fixed to the fibular head with a bone tunnel and transosseous sutures to reconstruct the LCL, tibia-limb is brought through the posterior tibia to reconstruct the popliteofibular ligament, proximal attachment site at anatomic femoral LCL attachment, through the fibular head lateral to medial, docking into the tibial tunnel posterior to anterior with graft #2, graft #2 reconstructs the popliteus tendon, proximal attachment site at the anatomic popliteus tendon attachment, docking into the tibial tunnel posterior to anterior with graft #1, hinged knee brace, nonweightbearing for 6 weeks, range of motion protocols differ between surgeons, some advocate for passive ROM immediately 0-90, others immobilize for 2 weeks, then begin motion, at 6 weeks, begin weightbearing and closed-chain strenghtening, return to activities / sports ~ 6 to 9 months, operative treatment has improved outcomes compared to nonoperative treatment, repair has higher failure rate than reconstruction, particularly for midsubstance injuries, but also for soft tissue avulsions, anatomic reconstruction restores rotatory stability, but not all varus stability on stress testing, PLC reconstruction, +/- ACL reconstruction, +/-, acute and chronic combined ligament injuries, PLC reconstruction should be performed at same time or prior to (as staged procedure) ACL or PCL to prevent early cruciate failure, indicated in patients with varus mechanical alignment, failure to correct bony alignment jeopardizes ACL and PLC reconstruction success, ACL reconstruction + PLC repair 33% achieved IKDC grade A or B compared to 88% of patients who underwent ACL + PLC reconstruction, failure to identify a PLC injury will lead to failure of ACL or PCL reconstruction, Spontaneous Osteonecrosis of the Knee (SONK), Osgood Schlatter's Disease (Tibial Tubercle Apophysitis), Anterior Superior Iliac Spine (ASIS) Avulsion, Anterior Inferior Iliac Spine Avulsion (AIIS), Proximal Tibiofibular Joint Ganglion Cysts, Pre-Participation Physical Exam in Athlete, Concussions (Mild Traumatic Brain Injury). Vaccines & Boosters | Testing | Visitor Guidelines | Coronavirus. Fibula Fracture - TeachMe Orthopedics Fractures may involve the knee, tibiofibular syndesmosis, tibia, or ankle joint. Fractures of the fibula often involve a syndesmotic injury (called Maisonneuve fractures). Fibula shaft fractures - OrthopaedicsOne Articles 2023 Lineage Medical, Inc. All rights reserved, Posterior Malleolus and Fibula Fracture ORIF, Orthobullets Technique Guides cover information that is "not testable" on ABOS Part I, Fracture Preparation and Reduction (Fibula), Soft Tisue Dissection (Posterior Malleolus), Fracture Preparation and Reduction (Posterior Malleolus), firmly hold proximal tibia while contralateral hand dorsiflexes and externally rotates foot, 3-0 nylon for skin with horizontal mattress stitches, in diabetics or patients with high risk for skin breakdown, use modified Allgower-Donati stitch to reduce tension on skin, advance weight-bearing status in CAM boot, if syndesmotic screw(s) placed need to be non-weightbearing, Leg Compartment Release - Single Incision Approach, Leg Compartment Release - Two Incision Approach, Arm Compartment Release - Lateral Approach, Arm Compartment Release - Anteromedial Approach, Shoulder Hemiarthroplasty for Proximal Humerus Fracture, Humerus Shaft ORIF with Posterior Approach, Humerus Shaft Fracture ORIF with Anterolateral Approach, Olecranon Fracture ORIF with Tension Band, Olecranon Fracture ORIF with Plate Fixation, Radial Head Fracture (Mason Type 2) ORIF T-Plate and Kocher Approach, Coronoid Fx - Open Reduction Internal Fixation with Screws, Distal Radius Extra-articular Fracture ORIF with Volar Appr, Distal Radius Intraarticular Fracture ORIF with Dorsal Approach, Distal Radius Fracture Spanning External Fixator, Distal Radius Fracture Non-Spanning External Fixator, Femoral Neck Fracture Closed Reduction and Percutaneous Pinning, Femoral Neck FX ORIF with Cannulated Screws, Femoral Neck Fracture ORIF with Dynamic Hip Screw, Femoral Neck Fracture Cemented Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty, Intertrochanteric Fracture ORIF with Cephalomedullary Nail, Femoral Shaft Fracture Antegrade Intramedullary Nailing, Femoral Shaft Fracture Retrograde Intramedullary Nailing, Subtrochanteric Femoral Osteotomy with Biplanar Correction, Distal Femur Fracture ORIF with Single Lateral Plate, Patella Fracture ORIF with Tension Band and K Wires, Tibial Plateau Fracture External Fixation, Bicondylar Tibial Plateau ORIF with Lateral Locking Plate, Tibial Plafond Fracture External Fixation, Tibial Plafond Fracture ORIF with Anterolateral Approach and Plate Fixation, Ankle Simple Bimalleolar Fracture ORIF with 1/3 Tubular Plate and Cannulated Screw of Medial Malleol, Ankle Isolated Lateral Malleolus Fracture ORIF with Lag Screw, Calcaneal Fracture ORIF with Lateral Approach, Plate Fixation, and Locking Screws, RETIRE Transtibial Below the Knee Amputation (BKA), identify joint involvement and articular step-off (>25%, >2mm requires ORIF), rolls under chest and knees and bump under hip for neutral rotation, between FHL (tibial nerve) and peroneal muscles (SPN), lobster claw or pointed clamps with hand rotation to reduce fibular fracture, move to posterior malleolus and free up fragments, place buttress plate 1/3 tubular or T-plate over posterior malleolus, anterior to posterior screws and 1/3 tubular plate over fibula, perform Cotton test / external rotation stress test to determine if syndesmosis injured, 1 or 2 screws, 3.5/4.5mm, tricortical or quadricortical, 2 wks non-weight bearing in postmold sugartong splint, 4-6 wks in CAM boot with progression of weight bearing and range of motion exercises, identify amount of joint involvement and articular step-off (>25%, >2mm requires ORIF), posterior malleolus fractures <25% of joint surface and <2mm articular step-off can be treated non-operatively in short leg walking cast vs. cast boot, CT often needed to evaluate percentage of joint surface involved, identify ankle fracture pattern (Lauge-Hansen SA, SER, PA, PER) and associated injuries, need to evaluate syndesmotic injury with stress exam, stiffness of syndesmosis restored to 70% of normal with isolated posterior malleolus fixation alone, standard OR table with radiolucent end, c-arm from contralateral side perpendicular to table, monitor at foot of bed in surgeon direct line of site, 2.0/2.5mm drills, 2.7/3.5mm cortical screws, 4.0mm cancellous screws, 1/3 tubular plates (Synthes Small Fragment Set), prone with feet at the end of the bed, bump under hip to get limb into neutral rotation, thigh tourniquet placed while patient supine high on thigh before flipping prone, internervous plane between FHL (tibial nerve) and peroneal muscles (SPN), incision along posterior border of fibula, access fibula with posterior retraction of peroneals, access posterior malleolus with anterior retraction of peroneals, blunt dissection between FHL and peroneals, stack of blue towels under anterior ankle to elevate limb, mark out lateral malleolus, anterior and posterior borders of fibula, borders of Achilles, incision ~6-8cm in length along posterolateral border of fibula, 15 blade through skin then tenotomy scissors to spread subcutaneous tissue with minimal soft tissue stripping, identify SPN with more proximal fractures, take fascia down sharply over posterior border of fibula anterior to peroneal tendons, sharp dissection down to bone with subperiostel dissection at fracture edges, extraperiosteal dissection proximal and distal to fracture site with knife and wood handled elevator, clean out fracture site using freer to open fracture site, curettes, small rongeur, dental pick, and irrigation to remove hematoma and interposed soft tissue, use lobster clamp and pointed clamps to reduce fracture, use hand rotation and contralateral thumb to help guide fragments together, lobster clamp has good hold on bone while pointed clamps have a more fine-tuned feel for reduction, need to be perpendicular to vector of fracture line, place temporary kwires to provisionally fix fragments, identify interval between peroneals and FHL, identify FHL by flexing hallux and watching for muscle belly movement, need to protect and retract posterior tibial neurovascular bundle medial to FHL, place self retainers and incise periosteum over post mal with 15blade, clean fracture site as above with fibula, do not release PITFL off of fragment as this will destabilize syndesmosis and devitalize fragment, fracture should reduce with reduction of fibula, reduce with direct pressure pushing down onto fragment, two 3.5mm screws (2.5mm drill) anterior to posterior in T-plate distal, 2 screws proximal into distal tibia, check placement of plate and screws under fluoro, make sure screws are perpendicular to bone, do not want distal screws (typically 40mm) to protrude anterior and irritate tibialis anterior, after fixing posterior malleolus move back to fibula fracture, place lag screw (2.7mm screw/2.0mm drill) followed with 1/3 tubular plate using antiglide technique on posterior aspect of fibula, place 2-3 3.5mm bicortical screws (2.5mm drill), most distal screw will likely be 4.0 cancellous since its close to joint and/or syndesmosis, check plate and screw positions with fluoro on AP and Lat views, reduction tenaculum is placed ~2cm above joint and lateral pull applied, opening of the syndesmosis on mortise view is indicative of a positive stress test, if increased opening of tibia-fibular overlap syndesmosis is injured, anterior-posterior instability exam is most sensitive for syndesmosis injury, formally open the anterior aspect of the syndesmosis (anterior to fibula), remove interposing tissue if preventing reduction, place Weber pointed clamp or large periarticular clamp across syndesmosis, one tine on medial tibia and other on lateral fibula, hold foot in neutral dorsiflexion andinspect syndesmosis from lateral incision, inspect syndesmosis from lateral incision to ensure anatomic reduction, use 2.5mm (or 3.5mm) long drill bit to drill across fibula into tibia, drill bit orientation parallel to joint 2-4cm above joint, drill bit is angled ~20-30 posterior to anterior due to fibular position in syndesmosis, obtain final AP, mortise, and lateral radiographs, irrigate wounds thoroughly and deflate tourniquet if used, deep fascial closure over plate with 0-vicryl, soft incision dressing followed by postmold sugartong splint with extra padding under heel for immobilization, remove splint and place in short-leg cast boot, non-weight bearing, can allow ROM if soft tissue is appropriate, advance weight-bearing if diabetic, insensate, or syndesmotic screws present, syndesmotic screws to stay in for at least 12 weeks, syndesmotic screws will loosen or break if maintained, superficial and deep infections (1-2%, up to 20% in diabetics), peroneal irritation from posterior fibula antiglide plating, iatrogenic injury to SPN during fibula exposure, PITFL, posterior tibial neurovascular bundle during FHL exposure. This type of fracture usually results from high-energy trauma or penetrating wounds. Lateral short oblique or spiral fracture of fibula (anterosuperior to posteroinferior) above the level of the joint, 4. Tibia and fibula fracturesare characterized as either low-energy or high-energy. Weening B, Bhandari M. Predictors of functional outcome following transsyndesmotic screw fixation of ankle fractures. Tibia and fibula fractures can be treated with standard bone fracture treatment procedures. Fracture of the proximal fibula indicative of syndesmotic injury. Proximal fibula fractures - OrthopaedicsOne Articles B1 Isolated. Obtain 3 views of the ankle (AP, lateral, and mortise) to look for ankle fracture or syndesmotic disruption. 2023 Lineage Medical, Inc. All rights reserved, posterior border of the biceps femoris tendon, Shoulder Anterior (Deltopectoral) Approach, Shoulder Lateral (Deltoid Splitting) Approach, Shoulder Arthroscopy: Indications & Approach, Anterior (Brachialis Splitting) Approach to Humerus, Posterior Approach to the Acetabulum (Kocher-Langenbeck), Extensile (extended iliofemoral) Approach to Acetabulum, Hip Anterolateral Approach (Watson-Jones), Hip Direct Lateral Approach (Hardinge, Transgluteal), Hip Posterior Approach (Moore or Southern), Anteromedial Approach to Medial Malleolus and Ankle, Posteromedial Approach to Medial Malleolus, Gatellier Posterolateral Approach to Ankle, Tarsus and Ankle Kocher (Lateral) Approach, Ollier's Lateral Approach to the Hindfoot, Medial approach to MTP joint of great toe, Dorsomedial Approach to MTP Joint of Great Toe, Posterior Approach to Thoracolumbar Spine, Retroperitoneal (Anterolateral) Approach to the Lumbar Spine, may be done supine with bump under affected limb or in lateral position, Make linear longitudinal incision along the, may extend proximally to a point 5cm proximal to the fibular head, begin proximally and incise the fascia taking great care not to damage the common peroneal nerve, about 10-12 cm above the tip of the lateral malleolus, the superficial peroneal nerve pierces the fascia, distal - may be extended distally to become continuous with, Kocher lateral approach to the ankle and tarsus, susceptible to injury at junction of middle and distal third of leg, if injured will cause numbness on the dorsum of the foot. Ulnar gutter splint/cast. rotation about a planted foot and ankle, accounts for 35-40% of overall tibial growth and 15-20% of overall lower extremity growth, growth continues until 14 years in girls and 16 years in boys, closure occurs during an 18 month transitional period, pattern of closure occurs in a predictable pattern: central > anteromedial > posteromedial > lateral, closure occurs 12-24 months after closure of distal tibial physis, Ligaments (origins are distal to the physes), primary restraint to lateral displacement of talus, anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL), extends from anterior aspect of lateral distal tibial epiphysis (Chaput tubercle) to the anterior aspect of distal fibula (Wagstaffe tubercle), plays an important role in transitional fractures (Tillaux, Triplane), posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (PITFL), extends from posterior aspect of lateral distal tibial epiphysis (Volkmanns tubercle) to posterior aspect of distal fibula, extends from posterior distal fibula across posterior aspect of distal tibial articular surface, functions as posterior labrum of the ankle, Fracture extends through the physis and exits through the metaphysis, forming a Thurston-Holland fragment, Fracture extends through the physis and exits through the epiphysis, Seen with medial malleolus fractures and Tillaux fractures, Fracture involves the physis, metaphysis and epiphysis, Can occur with lateral malleolus fractures, usually SH I or II, Seen with medial malleolus shearing injuries and triplane fractures, Can be difficult to identify on initial presentation (diagnosis is usually made when growth arrest is seen on follow-up radiographs), Results from open injury (i.e. It is the main weight-bearing bone of the two. Pediatric Distal Tibial Fracture - Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics Generally, fibula fractures do well, and most patients have normal function at long-term follow-up (. At its most proximal part, it is at the knee just posterior to the proximal tibia, running distally on the lateral side of the leg where it . The fibula is one of the two long bones in the leg, and, in contrast to the tibia, is a non-weight bearing bone in terms of the shaft. Please . Indications. Mechanisms of injury for tibia-fibula fractures can be divided into 2 categories: low-energy injuries such as ground level falls and athletic injuries; high-energy injuries such as motor vehicle injuries, pedestrians struck by motor vehicles, and gunshot wounds. The treatment depends on the severity of the injury and age of the child. Below are some of the most common tibia and fibula fractures that occur in children. highest incidence in male is between 15-24 years of age, highest incidence in females is 75-84 years of age, modified hinge joint consisting of tibia, fibula, and talus, tibial plafond and talus are broader anteriorly and wider laterally, extends from medial malleolus to broad insertion onto navicular, sutentaculum tali, and talus, primary restraint to anterior displacement, IR, and inversion of talus, strongest ligament of lateral complex and least likely to be disrupted, anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL), originates from anterolateral tubercle of distal tibia (Chaput), inserts anteriorly onto lateral malleolus (Wagstaffe), posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (PITFL), broad origin from posterior tibia (Volkmann's fragment), inserts onto posterior aspect of lateral malleolus, distal continuation of intraosseous membrane, peroneus longus and brevis pass along posterior groove of lateral malleolus, at risk with posterolateral fibular plating, located posterior and inferior at the level of the medial malleolus, at risk with posterior placement of medial malleolus screws, course over anterior ankle between EDL and EHL, course posterior to medial malleolus between FDL and FHL, crosses anteriorly over fibula about distal 1/3, at risk with posterolateral and direct lateral approach to fibula proximally and with anterior/anterolateral approaches, at risk with posterolateral and direct lateral approach to fibula, primary restraint to anterolateral talar displacement, acts as buttress to prevent lateral displacement of talus, dorsiflexion results in fibula ER and lateral translation, accommodating anteriorly wider talus, plantarflexion results in narrower, posterior aspect of the talus leading to IR of talus, based on combination of foot position and direction of force applied at the time of injury, has been shown to predict the observed (via MRI) ligamentous injury in less than 50% of operatively treated fractures, 1.