BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment of ankle fractures comes with a substantial risk of complications, including infection. An unambiguously definition of fracture-related infections (FRI) has been missing. Recently, FRI has been defined by a consensus group with a diagnostic algorithm containing suggestive and confirmatory criteria. The aim of the current study was to report the prevalence of FRI in patients operated for ankle fractures and to assess the applicability of the diagnostic algorithm from the consensus group.
METHODS: Records of all patients with surgically treated ankle fractures from 2015 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed for signs of postoperative infections. Patients with suspected infection were stratified according to confirmatory or suggestive criteria of FRI. Rate of FRI among patients with confirmatory and suggestive criteria were calculated.
RESULTS: Suspected infection was found in 104 (10%) out of 1004 patients. Among those patients, confirmatory criteria were met in 76/104 (73%) patients and suggestive criteria were met in 28/104 (27%) at first evaluation. Patients with clinical confirmatory criteria (N = 76) were diagnosed with FRI. Patients with suggestive criteria were further examined with either bacterial sampling at the outpatient clinic, revision surgery including bacterial sampling, or a wait-and-see approach. Eleven (39%) of the 28 patients had positive cultures and were therefore diagnosed as having FRI at second evaluation. In total 87 (9%) patients were diagnosed with FRI according to the consensus definition. Only 73 (70%) of the 104 patients with suspected FRI had adequate bacterial sampling.
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of FRI, applying the FRI-consensus criteria, for patients with surgically treated ankle fractures was 9%. Twenty-two percent of patients who met the confirmatory criteria had negative bacterial cultures. The current study shows that we did not have a systematic approach to patients with suspected FRI as recommended by the consensus group. A systematic approach to adequate bacterial sampling when FRI is suspected is paramount. The consensus definition of FRI and its diagnostic algorithm facilitates such an approach.
METHODS: Level III - retrospective cohort study.

Background: Trauma and subsequent immobilization of the lower limb increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Our aim was to evaluate compliance with national guidance on operatively managed ankle fractures and VTE chemoprophylaxis before and after implementation of a change in practice. Methods: We conducted an initial single-center audit of patients undergoing ankle fracture fixation. The primary outcome was quality of operation note documentation, and the secondary outcome was whether VTE chemoprophylaxis was prescribed on discharge. All stakeholders were educated on audit findings, new guidelines were synthesized, and the practice was re-audited. Results: A total of 137 patients were included in the initial audit, and 49 patients were included in the loop closure. The first audit highlighted that chemoprophylaxis prescription on discharge was significantly higher when both the agent and treatment duration were clearly stipulated in the operation note compared to when either treatment duration or both agent and treatment duration were omitted (97.2% vs 51.8% and 32.4%, respectively, P<0.001). Following our intervention, operation note documentation of agent and treatment duration improved from 29% to 90% (P<0.001). VTE chemoprophylaxis on discharge significantly improved from 57% to 98% (P<0.001). Conclusion: Our closed-loop audit identified suboptimal operation note documentation as the root cause of VTE noncompliance. The operation note is an important clinical interface between the operating theater and ward staff. We addressed these deficiencies with a basic intervention.

BACKGROUND: Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is a common and burdensome injury. However, the quality of its management is scant. Nowadays, physiotherapy management of musculoskeletal diseases seems to be generally not based on research evidence. Studies that investigated the knowledge-to-practice gap in LAS management are yet to be carried out. Therefore, this research investigated physiotherapists\' knowledge of and adherence to LAS Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and recommendations.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study based on an online survey structured in three sections. The first section collected demographic data. The second section showed two clinical cases (with positive and negative Ottawa Ankle Rules (OAR), respectively). The participants indicated which treatments they would adopt to manage them. Participants were classified as \'following\', \'partially following\', \'partially not following\' and \'not following\' the CPGs and recommendations. In the third section, participants expressed their agreement with different CPG and recommendation statements through a 1-5 Likert scale.
RESULTS: In total, 483 physiotherapists (age: 34 ± 10; female 38%, male 61.5%, other 0.5%) answered the survey: 85% completed the first two sections, 76% completed all three sections. In a case of acute LAS with negative OAR, 4% of the participants were considered as \'following\' recommended treatments, 68% as \'partially following\', 23% as \'partially not following\', and 5% as \'not following\'. In a case of acute LAS with positive OAR, 37% were considered \'following\' recommended treatments, 35% as \'partially following\', and 28% as \'not following\'. In the third section, the consensus was achieved for 73% of the statements.
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that although there is a good knowledge about first-line recommended treatments, a better use of CPGs and recommendations should be fostered among physiotherapists. Our results identify an evidence-to-practice gap in LAS management, which may lead to non-evidence-based practice behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: Open talus fractures are notoriously difficult to manage, and they are commonly associated with a high level of complications including non-union, avascular necrosis and infection. Currently, the management of such injuries is based upon BOAST 4 guidelines although there is no suggested definitive management, and thus, definitive management is based upon surgeon preference. The key principles of open talus fracture management which do not vary between surgeons are early debridement, orthoplastic wound care, anatomic reduction and definitive fixation whenever possible. However, there is much debate over whether the talus should be preserved or removed after open talus fracture/dislocation and proceeded to tibiocalcaneal fusion.
METHODS: A review of electronic hospital records for open talus fractures from 2014 to 2021 returned fourteen patients with fifteen open talus fractures. Seven cases were initially managed with ORIF, and five cases were definitively managed with FUSION, while the others were managed with alternative methods. We collected patient\'s age, gender, surgical complications, surgical risk factors and post-treatment functional ability and pain and compliance with BOAST guidelines. The average follow-up of the cohort was 4 years and one month. EQ-5D-5L and FAAM-ADL/Sports score was used as a patient reported outcome measure. Data were analysed using the software PRISM.
RESULTS: Comparison between FUSION and ORIF groups showed no statistically significant difference in EQ-5D-5L score (P = 0.13), FAAM-ADL (P = 0.20), FAAM-Sport (P = 0.34), infection rate (P = 0.55), surgical times (P = 0.91) and time to weight bearing (P = 0.39), despite a higher proportion of polytrauma and Hawkins III and IV fractures in the FUSION group.
CONCLUSIONS: FUSION is typically used as second line to ORIF or failed ORIF. However, there is a lack of studies that directly compared outcome in open talus fracture patients definitively managed with FUSION or ORIF. Our results demonstrate for the first time that FUSION may not be inferior to ORIF in terms of patient functional outcome, infection rate and quality of life, in the management of patients with open talus fracture patients. Of note, as open talus fractures have increased risks of complications such as osteonecrosis and non-union, FUSION should be considered as a viable option to mitigate these potential complications in these patients.

Pediatric ankle and wrist fractures are very common injuries encountered by orthopedic departments. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence has published guidelines that should be adhered to when treating these common fractures. This audit included 560 patients that have sustained wrist and ankle fractures between 2008 and 2019 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Burton (QHB) that required surgical management. The results show that 99.7% (478/479) wrist fractures and 70.8% (57/81) of ankle fractures received surgical management within the timeframe outlined by NICE. This audit has shown that QHB has been successfully treating wrist fractures within the guidelines set by NICE but has failed to meet the standards for ankle fractures.

Ankle fractures are common conditions which are associated with significant morbidity when managed incorrectly. With the incidence due to triple by 2030, standards of practice were created by the British Orthopaedic Association and the British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society to ensure optimal treatment. In spite of this, anecdotally there is still a variation in practice and therefore a questionnaire study was designed to explore clinician decision-making around Weber B and Posterior Malleolus ankle fractures. Five scenarios explored management regarding minimally and grossly displaced injuries, as well as the use of further imaging. The questionnaires were distributed via AUGMENT collaborators at their sites and at the British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society congress 2018. About 315 questionnaires were completed and included in analysis. For Weber B injuries, overall there was a consensus across all respondents with minimally displaced and grossly displaced fractures being treated conservatively and operatively respectively. For Posterior Malleolus injuries, there was variation in practice between Foot and Ankle specialists and their non-Foot and Ankle colleagues. Computed tomography (CT) was more likely to be used to assess these injuries by specialists (97.50 vs 69.79%) and these injuries were more likely to be treated operatively across the board. This study identified key variation in practice of the management of Posterior Malleolar ankle fractures, including the use of imaging to further define the anatomy and the decision to operate. Foot and Ankle surgeons were more likely to organize CT scans and to surgically manage these injures.

BACKGROUND: Ankle fractures are one of the most common fractures in adults aged 20-65 years. The British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) and British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (BOFAS) jointly produced Standards for Trauma (BOAST) BOAST 12, with the aim of reducing morbidity by standardising care of these injuries. The primary aim of the AUGMENT study was to determine the extent and clinical effect of variation from BOAST 12.
METHODS: AUGMENT was a multi-centre prospective trainee led audit of consecutive patients presenting with an ankle fracture within a four-week period. Data were collected on patient demographics, comorbidities, management and 12-week outcome. The BOAST 12 standards were divided into four subgroups; documentation, imaging, management and follow-up. Percentage compliance with each subgroup was analysed. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine impact of overall compliance on likelihood of discharge in follow-up period.
RESULTS: 971 patients were included across 52 sites. The overall rate of BOAST 12 compliance was 41.7%. Variations in practice were observed in clinical documentation, especially of neurovascular status, (40.7%) and VTE assessment (61.5%). Patient management compliance with all 16 of the BOAST 12 standards was associated with a higher rate of discharge during the 12-week follow-up period (p = 0.005).
CONCLUSIONS: AUGMENT has demonstrated that the management of ankle fractures is variable across the UK. Over half of patients had aspects of their care that were not BOAST 12 compliant. When compliance was observed, it was associated with earlier discharge from orthopaedic care.