Functional Outcomes of Syndesmotic Injuries Based on Objective Reduction Accuracy at a Minimum 1-Year Follow-Up

Objective: To evaluate whether objective syndesmosis reduction predicts functional outcomes and pain scores in patients with operatively treated syndesmotic injuries at a minimum 1-year follow-up. Design: Prospective Cohort. Setting: Urban Level I Trauma Center. Patients: Sixty-nine patients with operatively treated syndesmotic injuries were initially identified and consented for inclusion in the study. Nine patients were excluded perioperatively. Twelve patients were lost to follow-up. Forty-eight patients with operatively treated unilateral syndesmotic injuries were available and participated at the final follow-up. Intervention: Trans-syndesmotic stabilization with either 1 or 2 quadricortical position screws. Postoperatively, bilateral ankle computed tomography scans were obtained to objectively assess syndesmosis reduction accuracy. Main Outcome Measurements: Olerud–Molander Ankle Score, Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment Dysfunction Index and Bother Index, and Numeric Pain Rating Scales at a minimum 1-year postoperative follow-up. Results: At 1-year follow-up, there was no significant difference in functional outcomes between reduced and malreduced groups at the 1.5-, 2-, and 3-mm thresholds for linear measurements. Similarly, there was no functional difference between the reduced and malreduced groups for rotational malreductions at a 10 or 15 degrees threshold. Patients with state-sponsored insurance (Medicaid) had significantly worse functional scores and pain scores when compared with the groups with private insurance, Medicare, or no insurance. Conclusions: At 1-year follow-up, functional outcomes were not related to objective measures of syndesmosis reduction.