Maisonneuve

Maisonneuve Fracture

A Maisonneuve fracture is a type of ankle fracture that involves a spiral fracture of the fibula associated with a tear of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis and the interosseous membrane. This type of injury is named after the French surgeon Jules Germain François Maisonneuve, who first described it in 1840.

Mechanism of Injury

The injury typically occurs when there is a strong external rotation force applied to the foot when it is in a fixed position. This force causes the talus to rotate externally and push the fibula away from the tibia, resulting in a fracture of the fibula and disruption of the tibiofibular syndesmosis.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of a Maisonneuve fracture can be challenging as the fracture of the proximal fibula may not be immediately apparent on initial X-ray imaging of the ankle. Therefore, if there is a high index of suspicion for this injury, further imaging of the entire fibula and tibia may be necessary to identify the fracture.

Treatment

Treatment of a Maisonneuve fracture typically involves surgical intervention to repair the disrupted tibiofibular syndesmosis and stabilize the ankle joint. This usually involves the use of screws or other fixation devices to hold the bones in place while they heal.

Prognosis

The prognosis for a Maisonneuve fracture is generally good with appropriate treatment, although complications such as post-traumatic arthritis and instability of the ankle joint can occur.

See Also

• Ankle fracture
• Fibula
• Tibia
• Talus (bone)

References

Maisonneuve Resources
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