Radiologic Assessment for Evaluating the Post-operative Reduction of Syndesmosis: A Retrospective Study

Assessing the reduction of syndesmosis is highly recommended due to the complications occurring after the malreduction of the syndesmosis. This study evaluated the post-operative Computed Tomography (CT) scans and standard plain radiographs for assessing the reduction of syndesmosis post-operatively.

Evaluating the radiologic assessments of post-operative reduction of syndesmosis.

In this retrospective cohort study, 45 patients presented with ankle fractures and syndesmosis failure to the emergency department of our hospital between 2015 and 2019 were evaluated by post-operative CT scans and plain radiographs.

Diastasis was demonstrated in 18 patients (40%) in plain radiographs, in 4 patients (8%) by tibial clear space, in 5 patients (11%) by medial clear space, in 10 patients (22%) by AP tibiofibular overlap, and in patients 8 (17%) by mortise tibiofibular overlap. Diastasis was demonstrated in 24 patients (53%) in CT scans, of whom 18 patients had abnormal radiographic parameters, while 6 patients had normal radiographic parameters.

We found a post-operative CT scan more useful than standard plain radiographic measurement for assessing the reduction of the syndesmosis. We suggest the use of post-operative CT scan as a routine to evaluate the syndesmosis reduction.