Ankle fracture complications in the elderly

Abstract

Objectives: To determine whether the rate of complications is higher in geriatric patients who undergo operative fixation at our institution for unstable ankle fractures or fracture dislocations ; To determine if geriatric patients require a prolonged time for the ankle fracture personality to declare itself amenable to definitive fixation. Conclusions: Complication rates following operative fixation of fractures and fracture dislocations at our institution are not significantly increased in the geriatric patient population relative to the non-geriatric population ; The geriatric patient population does not require a prolonged period of time for the fracture personality to declare itself amenable to definitive surgical fixation.