Open ankle fracture in a diabetic performed with minimal to no incision using a external fixation device along with regenerative medical therapy.

Many diabetic patients have ankle fractures. These can be extremely debilitating to the individual. Use of internal hardware can cause detrimental problems to these individuals. They may develop severe infection and/or Charcot foot deformity. At the Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Institute, we specialize in minimal incision surgery for diabetic ankle fractures as well as open ankle fractures along with regenerative medical therapy (Laser Therapy, Oral Peptides, Red Light Therapy, and Stem Cell Like injections).

Note that the patient has a severe open ankle fracture. The x-ray on the left A, B and C show the leg bone in the tibia and the fibula completely exposed to the air with the foot bones 90 degrees to the leg. The only thing that is holding the patient’s leg is soft tissue.  This is a medical and surgical emergency. Because this is a open ankle fracture there is a high probability of having osteomyelitis. There is also a high probability of a below the knee amputation.

At the Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Institute we specialize in Diabetic Limb Salvage. We use very minimal to no incisions to apply a multiplanar external fixator. This device is able to hold and restore the fracture components. This is done without making any incisions.

The x-ray (above) on the right shows anatomical alignment of the severe fibular fracture, tibial fracture and ankle dislocation.

The picture on the left shows the open ankle fracture and wound loosely approximated with sutures.  The photograph on the right shows the external fixator apparatus on the individual.

Final x-rays after the removal of the external fixator shows complete restoration of the severe ankle fracture dislocation in the diabetic patient. The patient was able to ambulate without any difficulties without any recurrences. Throughout the incidence of the surgical procedure and postoperative follow-up there was no signs of any infection.

At the comprehensive foot and ankle Institute we specialize in diabetic limb salvage minimal incision surgery as well as regenerative medical therapy that can help benefit the patient’s tremendously.