The use of Ilizarov technique as a definitive percutaneous reduction for ankle fractures in patients who have diabetes mellitus and peripheral vascular disease.

The patient who has a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease and experiences an unstable ankle fracture presents as a difficult case scenario for the treating physician. In addition, patients who have diabetes mellitus, along with the presence of multiple comorbidities, have been shown to have higher complication rates than patients who do not have diabetes mellitus. This article describes a relatively safe alternative surgical percutaneous technique using external circular ring fixation in the vascularly compromised diabetic patient with an unstable ankle fracture. This novel technique decreases the risk for soft tissue complications in the high-risk diabetic patient and serves as a definitive method of fixation without the need for additional surgery. It allows the patient to have early and full weight bearing when indicated in the postoperative period.