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. 2022 Dec;142(12):3771-3777.
doi: 10.1007/s00402-021-04232-0. Epub 2021 Nov 7.

Trends of incidence and treatment strategies for operatively treated distal fibula fractures from 2005 to 2019: a nationwide register analysis

Alexander Milstrey  1 , Sebastian Felix Baumbach  2 , Alexander Pfleiderer  3 , Julia Evers  3 , Wolfgang Boecker  2 , Michael J Raschke  3 , Hans Polzer  2 , Sabine Ochman  3
Affiliations

Trends of incidence and treatment strategies for operatively treated distal fibula fractures from 2005 to 2019: a nationwide register analysis

Alexander Milstrey et al. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Introduction: Valid epidemiological data about distal fibular fractures and their treatment strategies are missing. Innovative osteosynthesis techniques were introduced and improved during the past 15 years. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiologic development and the implementation of new treatment strategies in a nationwide register in Germany over a period of 15 years.

Materials and methods: Data of the German Federal Statistical Office from 2005 until 2019 were screened. Adults with a fracture of the distal fibula were included. Data were separated for gender, age and treatment strategy.

Results: During the past 15 years, there was a steady annual incidence of distal fibula fractures of 74 ± 32 per 100,000 people without any significant changes (p = 0.436). 60.1% ± 0.6% of all fractures occurred in females. The annual incidence for male was nearly constant over the different age groups, whereas for female, there was a clear increase in incidence above the age of 40. Whereas 66% of fractures in between 20 and 30 years of age occurred in male, approximately 70% of fractures above the age of 60 occurred in females. The relative quantity of locking plates increased from 2% in 2005 to 34% in 2019. In 2019, only 1.02% of the patients were operated with an intramedullary nail.

Conclusions: Operatively treated distal fibular fractures revealed an age dependent increase in incidence in postmenopausal women compared to younger females. Regarding the treatment strategy, there was an increase in application of locking plates. The data implicate a typical fragility fracture related age and gender distribution for distal fibula fractures.

Keywords: Ankle fracture; Distal fibula fracture; Epidemiology; Fibula nail; Locking plate; Treatment strategy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A Annual incidence. Bars: Absolute number of distal fibula fractures per year from 2005 to 2019, scale left side; lines: mean incidence per year per 100,000 persons separated for gender, scale on the right side. B Age distribution. Average mean incidence of distal fibula fractures per 100,000 persons per year separated for gender from 2005 to 2019. C Gender gap. Average relative mean incidence per 100,000 persons per year from 2005 to 2019
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Locking plates vs. conventional plates. A Annual trends of utilized plate osteosynthesis from 2005 to 2019. B Age-dependent distribution in 2019. C Gender distribution in age-dependent ratio of angular stable locking plates in 2019
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Intramedullary nails for distal fibula fractures. A Absolute annual number per year from 2005 to 2019, separated for gender. B Age-dependent distribution in 2019
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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