Pilot · Foot and ankle is live; other subspecialties follow. Summaries are being reviewed and may change.Tell us what you think
Pilot Searched 7 Nov 2026 589 papers tracked Literature checked weekly
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Ankle fractures

Malleolar fractures range from stable isolated Weber B fibular fractures to unstable bimalleolar, trimalleolar and syndesmotic injuries. Stable fractures are treated non-operatively with short immobilisation and early weight-bearing. Unstable fractures are usually treated with open reduction and internal fixation; in older adults close contact casting is an alternative. Syndesmotic injuries are stabilised with screws or suture-button devices.

4 treatment options0 summaries79 papers tracked

Treatment options

Key papers

PaperYearDesign
Does fixation of medium sized posterior malleolus fragment in ankle fractures yield superior outcomes than no-fixation? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Sain B · Foot (Edinb) · 2026 · Systematic review / meta-analysisKey paper
 2026Systematic review / meta-analysisLevel I-II
Suture button versus syndesmotic screw fixation in acute ankle fractures with syndesmotic injury: An umbrella review of functional outcomes and clinical relevance based on the minimal clinically important difference.
Nieuwenkamp CL · Injury · 2026 · Systematic review / meta-analysisKey paper
 2026Systematic review / meta-analysisLevel I-II
Early vs Late Weight Bearing After Ankle Fracture Fixation: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Egu C · Foot Ankle Int · 2026 · Systematic review / meta-analysisKey paper
 2026Systematic review / meta-analysisLevel I-II
Three week versus six week immobilisation for stable Weber B type ankle fractures: randomised, multicentre, non-inferiority clinical trial.
Kortekangas T · BMJ · 2019 · Comparative studyKey paper
 2019Comparative studyLevel II-III
Three-Year Follow-up of a Trial of Close Contact Casting vs Surgery for Initial Treatment of Unstable Ankle Fractures in Older Adults.
Keene DJ · JAMA · 2018 · Randomised controlled trialKey paper
 2018Randomised controlled trialLevel I
Randomized Trial Comparing Suture Button with Single Syndesmotic Screw for Syndesmosis Injury.
Andersen MR · J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2018 · Randomised controlled trialKey paper
 2018Randomised controlled trialLevel I
Close Contact Casting vs Surgery for Initial Treatment of Unstable Ankle Fractures in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Willett K · JAMA · 2016 · Randomised controlled trialKey paper
 2016Randomised controlled trialLevel I

Latest papers

All 79 papers
PaperYearDesign
Vitamin C for the prevention of complex regional pain syndrome after foot and ankle fractures or surgery: a systematic review.
Carmona-Zamora MT · Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci · 2026 · Systematic review / meta-analysis
 2026Systematic review / meta-analysisLevel I-II
Syndesmotic screw fixation is associated with higher overall treatment costs when compared with suture button stabilisation in a single UK major trauma centre.
Umer HM · Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol · 2026 · Comparative study
 2026Comparative studyLevel II-III
AO type C ankle fractures with additional posterior malleolus fragment: radiological and functional results of osseous reconstruction of the tibiofibular syndesmosis.
Franx AL · Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol · 2026 · Comparative study
 2026Comparative studyLevel II-III
Tibiofibular stabilization in patients with ankle and posterior malleolus fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Kucher IV · Wiad Lek · 2026 · Systematic review / meta-analysis
 2026Systematic review / meta-analysisLevel I-II
Comparison of screw and suture-button techniques in the treatment of ankle syndesmotic injuries.
Durak YS · Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg · 2026 · Comparative study
 2026Comparative studyLevel II-III
Closed reduction and percutaneous fixation versus open reduction and internal fixation for displaced medial malleolar fractures: a randomized controlled trial.
Elkohail A · Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg · 2026 · Randomised controlled trial
 2026Randomised controlled trialLevel I
Suture Button Syndesmosis Repair Augmented With Nonanatomic vs Anatomic AITFL Reconstruction and the Added Effect of Deltoid Repair: A Cadaveric Biomechanical Study.
Carlson MR · Foot Ankle Int · 2026 · Comparative study
 2026Comparative studyLevel II-III
Formal joint preparation appears to not be necessary for surgical treatment of ankle fractures with tibiotalocalcaneal nailing: a systematic review.
LaMontagne M · Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol · 2026 · Systematic review / meta-analysis
 2026Systematic review / meta-analysisLevel I-II
Is Kinesio taping beneficial in the short term after Weber Type B lateral malleolar fractures? A randomized controlled trial.
Gültekin O · Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc · 2026 · Randomised controlled trial
 2026Randomised controlled trialLevel I
Temporising external fixation reduces loss of reduction compared with plaster splinting in ankle fracture-dislocations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.
Suravaram V · Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · 2026 · Systematic review / meta-analysis
 2026Systematic review / meta-analysisLevel I-II