Anterolateral Approach to the Pilon.

This video reviews the indications, surgical approach, and case examples of the anterolateral approach to a distal tibial plafond fracture. If this approach is used in a staged fashion, when the soft envelope is ready, it affords excellent visualization for fracture fixation through thick skin flaps. An associated article reviews a cohort of 44 mainly type C3 pilon injuries treated by 2 orthopaedic traumatologist using the anterolateral approach after staged external fixation. An anatomic or good fracture reduction was obtained in 41 fractures with 13.6% of patients undergoing a secondary surgical procedure for infection or nonunion.