Supramalleolar osteotomy for the treatment of symptomatic tibial malunion

Abstract

Supramalleolar osteotomy was performed on eight patients who were symptomatic from a malunion of the distal two-thirds of the tibia. The patient's subjective reports of pain, limp, appearance, instability, and limitation of activity were evaluated pre- and postoperatively. Objective measurements of range of motion, angular deformity, and radiographic signs of ankle arthritis were also evaluated. All of the patients had varus malunion with a mean angulation of 15 degrees. Three of these patients also had sagittal malalignment. Supramalleolar dome or wedge osteotomies were performed to correct the coronal and sagittal plane deformities. Either internal (three patients) or external (five patients) fixation devices were applied to maintain correction. All osteotomies healed. The final mean angulation was 0 degrees in the coronal plane and 8 degrees of recurvatum. Complications included pin tract infections, wound breakdown, failure to completely correct the deformities, and loss of reduction. Seven of the patients reported symptomatic improvement after the procedure. The one patient who had a loss of reduction became more symptomatic.