Ankle Dislocation in Emergency Medicine Treatment & Management

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

Prehospital Care

  • Prehospital personnel should immobilize the joint following standard procedure for any extremity injury.
  • If neurovascular compromise is identified in the field by examination, revealing a cold, discolored, and pulseless or insensate foot, the joint should be realigned unless transport time is brief. This is accomplished by in-line traction with countertraction. Traction or splinting should be maintained en route to the hospital (see Splinting, Ankle).
  • Intravenous opioids should be administered to make the patient comfortable and especially if traction is applied to reduce the dislocation en route. If intravenous opioids are unavailable, intravenous benzodiazepine medications can be used as an alternative.
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Emergency Department Care

  • Early reduction is essential since delay may increase risk of neurovascular compromise or damage to articular cartilage. In patients with vascular compromise, perform reduction prior to radiologic examination.
  • Postreduction radiographs should confirm proper joint alignment. Appropriate pain management is the greatest contribution an emergency physician can make to the patient's care. Postreduction splinting is discussed below.
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Consultations

Dislocations of the ankle are, by definition, unstable due to accompanying disruption of the lateral or medial ligaments or the tibiofibular syndesmosis. These require an immediate orthopedic or podiatric consultation for surgical intervention that may involve the internal or external fixation of any associated fractures and repair of capsular or ligamentous tears.[6, 1]

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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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