Complications

Complication
Timeframe
Likelihood
long term
medium

Advanced post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) affects up to 36.3% of patients at a mean of 18 years follow-up who were treated by open reduction and internal fixation for malleolar fracture.[79]​ PTOA affects up to 63% of patients with ankle fracture-dislocations.[23]​

long term
low

Fracture non-union may occur.[8]​ Persistent and symptomatic non-unions are treated with revision fixation and autogenous bone grafting.[78]

variable
medium

Hardware may irritate the patient due to the subcutaneous nature of the malleoli. Treatment may be with hardware removal.[76][77]

variable
low

Infection may present in either the acute or the late postoperative period.[19][75]​ In the acute period, an infection can be a superficial wound infection or a deep infection. If the infection is superficial, parenteral or oral antibiotics are administered, with subsequent careful monitoring of the wound. If drainage is present or there are signs of an abscess or deep infection, then treatment is with irrigation and debridement and administration of parenteral antibiotics.

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