Time-to-Surgery and Short-Term Outcomes of Trimalleolar Ankle Fracture During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

Gabriel Burdick BS, Wayne State University School of MedicineFollow
Rami Beydoun BS, Wayne State University School of MedicineFollow
Alexander Pietroski MS, Wayne State University School of MedicineFollow
Jonathan Warren BS, Wayne State University School of MedicineFollow
Bushra Fathima BS, Wayne State University School of MedicineFollow
Trevor Wolterink BS, Wayne State University School of MedicineFollow
Michael McIntosh BS, Wayne State University School of MedicineFollow
Neethi Sriranga BS, Wayne State University School of MedicineFollow
Stephanie Muh MD, Henry Ford Health SystemFollow

Research Mentor Name

Stephanie Muh

Research Mentor Email Address

smuh1@hfhs.org

Institution / Department

Henry Ford Health System Department of Orthopaedics

Document Type

Research Abstract

Research Type

clinicalresearch

Level of Research

no

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on time-to-surgery, complication rates, and functional outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for trimalleolar ankle fracture.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study compared patients who underwent ORIF for trimalleolar ankle fracture between April and July of 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic (COVID group) to a pre-pandemic cohort treated in 2018 (2018 group). Demographic information, fracture characteristics, and surgical outcomes were collected from patients’ medical charts.

RESULTS: The COVID and 2018 groups consisted of 32 and 100 patients, respectively. The two groups were similar with regards to age, sex, race, income, marital status, and incidence of diabetes (p>0.05). The COVID group had a higher incidence of tibiofibular syndesmotic injury (p<0.01), comminution of the posterior malleolus (p<0.05), and smoking (P<0.01). Time-to-surgery was not significantly different between the two groups (8.84 ± 6.78 days in 2020 vs 8.61 ± 6.02 days in 2018, p=0.85). 25% (8/32) of patients in the COVID group experienced one or more postoperative complications compared to 15% (15/100) in the 2018 group (p=0.19). Mean VAS pain scores, ankle strength, and ROM in ankle plantarflexion were not significantly different between the two groups at 3 and 6 months postoperatively (p>0.05).

DISCUSSION: Patients who underwent ORIF for trimalleolar ankle fracture during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic did not experience prolonged time-to-surgery and had similar outcomes compared to patients treated prior to the pandemic.

Disciplines

Orthopedics

Recommended Citation

Burdick, Gabriel BS; Beydoun, Rami BS; Pietroski, Alexander MS; Warren, Jonathan BS; Fathima, Bushra BS; Wolterink, Trevor BS; McIntosh, Michael BS; Sriranga, Neethi BS; and Muh, Stephanie MD, "Time-to-Surgery and Short-Term Outcomes of Trimalleolar Ankle Fracture During the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2022). Medical Student Research Symposium. 154.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/som_srs/154

Comments

I would like to thank my mentor, Dr. Stephanie Muh for her guidance on support on this project.