Ankle Dislocation in Emergency Medicine Follow-up

  • Author: James E Keany, MD, FACEP; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: Mar 27, 2012
 

Further Inpatient Care

  • Patients with ankle dislocations should be admitted to the orthopedic surgery service for further evaluation and possible intraoperative repair.
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Transfer

  • In hospitals without an orthopedic surgeon, transfer the patient to an appropriately staffed facility for operative intervention. The joint should be reduced and splinted prior to transfer.
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Complications

Complications of ankle dislocation may include the following:

  • Nonunion or malunion
  • Synostosis
  • Entrapment of the tibialis posterior tendon or of a fracture fragment
  • Cartilaginous injury
  • Osteochondral fractures of the talar dome
  • Joint stiffness and decreased range of motion (eg, osteoarthritis[7] )
  • Arterial injury (anterior and posterior tibial, peroneal)
  • Compartment syndrome (rare)
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Prognosis

  • Dislocated ankles should not be expected to return to premorbid function.
  • The amount of force and level of capsular disruption required to dislocate the inherently stable joint results in significant injury with lasting effects. To a limited extent, prompt intervention can reduce the risk of complications.
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Patient Education

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

James E Keany, MD, FACEP  Medical Director, TravelMDAssist; Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Services, Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center

James E Keany, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, and California Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Dekker McKeever, DPM  Chief Podiatric Surgery Resident Physician, Trauma and Reconstruction Specialist, Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Joseph J Sachter, MD, FACEP  Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center

Joseph J Sachter, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physician Executives, American Medical Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

David B Levy, DO, FACEP, FAAEM  Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, St Elizabeth Health Center; Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine

David B Levy, DO, FACEP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Medical Informatics Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD  Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

References

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