Abstract: Fractures of the ankle are amongst the most common injuries treated by an orthopaedic surgeon
[1, 2]. With literature indicating that open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) yields better results than conservative management, there has been an increasing trend towards operative intervention. The aim of internal fixation is to stabilise bony fragments and permit early movement, but the onset of a surgical site infection (SSI) may lead to a poor outcome. Notwithstanding this, they have been proven to prolong the length of hospital stay by two weeks per patient and double re-hospitalization rates. It is therefore imperative that such occurrences are minimised.
Whilst some authors have investigated the long-term results following fracture few have focussed on SSIs. The purpose of this study was to therefore retrospectively review the rate of infection following ankle ORIF and determine factors in their causation. We hypothesised that the infection rate would be relatively low other than in certain patient subgroups such as diabetics and the elderly. The identification of patients susceptible to such problems is useful for evaluating operative indications and the need for further preventative measures.
