Tillaux Fracture of The Ankle in An Adult: A Rare Injury: Article
Tillaux Fracture of The Ankle in An Adult: A Rare Injury: Article
Tillaux Fracture of The Ankle in An Adult: A Rare Injury: Article
discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264830769
Article in The Journal of foot and ankle surgery: official publication of the American College of Foot and Ankle
Surgeons August 2014
DOI: 10.1053/j.jfas.2014.06.010 Source: PubMed
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Level of Clinical Evidence: 4 The Tillaux fracture of the ankle is an external rotation ankle injury resulting in an avulsion fracture of the
anterolateral tibial plafond. This injury is known to occur in adolescents, although it has rarely been reported
Keywords:
ankle in adults. We report a case of a Tillaux fracture in an adult. A brief description of the history, mechanism of
bula injury, required imaging, and treatment and other management options are provided in the present report.
injury Anatomic reduction, rigid xation, and early mobilization are emphasized to obtain a satisfactory functional
leg outcome, shown by the long-term follow-up ndings.
tibial plafond 2014 by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. All rights reserved.
Tillaux fractures have been described as uncommon ankle injuries in a plaster splint for 1 week; thereafter, the ankle was mobilized and
in adolescents and have rarely been reported in adults (13). These subjected to progressively increasing motion. Weightbearing was
fractures are caused by external rotational injury resulting in avulsion allowed to resume at 8 weeks postoperatively. A normal gait had been
of the anterolateral tibial plafond owing to a taut anteroinferior achieved by 12 weeks postoperatively. Follow-up examinations
tibiobular ligament. In the present report, we describe the case of a continued until 14 months postoperatively. At the nal follow-up
Tillaux fracture in an adult. We believe the rarity of this injury in visit, the clinical and radiographic assessments revealed the fracture
adults is worthy of discussion. to be well consolidated without any complications (Fig. 3). Also, the
patient was asymptomatic, with no pain or restriction of ankle
movement.
Case Report
Discussion
A 28-year-old male presented with injury to his right ankle after a
fall from a height. He had no other associated injury or history of any
The Tillaux fracture was rst described in 1822 by Sir Astley
other ankle injury. The clinical examination revealed a tender right
Cooper, and Paul Tillaux described the mechanism of this injury as
ankle with swelling localized anteriorly and anterolaterally and
painful restriction of ankle movement. Radiographs of the right ankle
revealed an avulsion fracture of the anterolateral lip of the tibial
plafond (Fig. 1). The anterolateral fragment was intra-articular, dis-
placed, and of a clinically signicant size. Computed tomography
scans were obtained to exclude the presence of a pilon fracture. The
scans conrmed the presence of a displaced Tillaux fracture, the
pattern of which was consistent with that typically associated with
the adolescent form of this injury (Fig. 2).
The patient underwent open reduction and internal xation
through an anterolateral approach, using two 3.5-mm lag screws.
During surgery, Kirschner wires were used as joysticks to help in
reducing the small fragment. Postoperatively, the ankle was protected
1067-2516/$ - see front matter 2014 by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.jfas.2014.06.010
758 N. Kumar, M. Prasad / The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery 53 (2014) 757758
References
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