Unstable Ankle Fractures in Neuropathic Diabetics.

Connolly recognized as early as 1998 that a displaced ankle fracture in a neuropathic diabetic puts that patient at risk for an amputation. It is well appreciated that the risk of a poor clinical outcome secondary to failure of the surgical construct, deep wound infection and osteomyelitis or a combination of both, is greatly increased in neuropathic diabetic patients, that is, those that are insensate to the Semmes-Weinstein 5.07 (10 g) monofilament, as compared with sensate diabetics or similar non-diabetic patients. Despite this understanding, there is little objective evidence to guide treatment. The goal of this monograph is to provide the practicing Orthopaedic Surgeon the best consensus expert opinion and the most current new innovations to optimize clinical outcomes and avoid complications in this highly co-morbid patient cohort.