[Treatment of tibial fractures seen in the light of long-term results].

The intra-articular fracture of the lower extremity of the tibia is an injury which often produces functional problems in the ankle joint, sometimes leaving the patient incapable of continuing his original employment. Conservative treatment is often unsatisfactory because of the difficulty of closed reduction of the fracture, and the difficulty in maintaining the reduction. Open reduction and stable internal fixation frequently gives good results, even in cases of complicated fractures. The diagnosis is essentially based on standard X-ray examination of the ankle (face and profiles) with obliques, and occasionally by tomography. A new classification proposed by ALLGOWER permits one to see more precisely the degrees of difficulty of reconstruction, and to have a more exact prognosis.