Patient Characteristics and Outcomes of Geriatric Ankle Fractures: Open Fracture Is the Key Risk Factor for Complications and Functional Decline

Abstract

Objectives: To determine whether open (O) or closed (C) geriatric ankle fractures had different patient characteristics or outcomes.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Urban Level 1 trauma center.

Patient selection criteria: Patients, age 60 years and older, who underwent operative fixation of a rotational ankle fracture (OTA/AO 44A-C) between January 2012 and September 2021.

Outcome measures and comparisons: Morbidity, defined as 90-day reoperation, 90-day readmission, or loss of mobility, as well as 1-year mortality compared between patients with closed and open fractures.

Results: The open cohort was older (75 years vs. 68 years; P = 0.003) but had similar Charlson comorbidity indices (4.6 O vs. 4.0 C; P = 0.323) and preinjury rates of independent ambulation (70.4% O vs. 80.9% C; P = 0.363). There were higher rates of 1-year mortality (11% vs. 0%; P < 0.001), deep infection (14.8% vs. 3.9%; P = 0.019), and loss of mobility (64.7% vs. 23.0%; P < 0.001) in the open cohort. Multivariate regression identified open fracture as an independent predictor of 90-day reoperation (OR: 20.6; P = 0.022) and loss of mobility (OR: 5.1; P = 0.011).

Conclusions: Despite having comorbidities and preinjury function similar to the closed geriatric ankle fracture cohort, open ankle fracture was independently predictive of greater loss of mobility. Nearly two-thirds of geriatric patients with open ankle fractures experienced a decline in functional independence, compared with 1 in 4 of those with closed fractures. Open fracture was associated with higher rates of deep infection, reoperation, and 1-year mortality.

Level of evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.