Casting vs surgery for ankle fractures in older adults

Editor's Note

In older adults with unstable ankle fractures, close contact casting compared with surgery resulted in similar functional outcomes at 6 months, this study finds.

The study, which included 620 patients (309 surgery, 311 casting) from 24 hospitals, found that postfracture symptoms, quality of life, pain, ankle motion, and mobility were equivalent at 6 months in both groups. Infection and wound breakdown were more common in surgery patients.

Close contact casting may be an appropriate alternative treatment to surgery for older adults with unstable ankle fractures, the authors say.

Question Does close contact casting (a molded below-knee cast with minimal padding) compared with internal fixation surgery result in an equivalent functional outcome for adults older than 60 years with an unstable ankle fracture?