ObjectiveThis study evaluated the reproducibility of the three main classifications of ankle fractures most commonly used in emergency clinical practice: Lauge-Hansen, Danis-Weber, and AO-OTA. The secondary objective was to assess whether the level of professional experience influenced the interobserver agreement for the classification of this pathology.MethodsThe study included 83 digitized preoperative radiographic images of ankle fractures, in anteroposterior and lateral views, of different adults that had occurred between January and December 2013. For sample calculation, the estimated accuracy was approximately 15%, with a sampling error of 5% and a sampling power of 80%. The images were analyzed and classified by six different observers: two foot and ankle surgeons, two general orthopedic surgeons, and two-second-year residents in orthopedics and traumatology. The Kappa statistical method of multiple variances was used to assess the variations.ResultsThe Danis-Weber classification indicated that 40% of the agreements among all observers were good or excellent, whereas only 20% of good and excellent agreements were obtained using the AO and Lauge Hansen classifications. The Kappa index was 0.49 for the Danis-Weber classification, 0.32 for Lauge Hansen, and 0.38 for AO.ConclusionThe Hansen-Lauge classification presented the poorest interobserver agreement among the three systems. The AO classification demonstrated a moderate agreement and the Danis-Weber classification presented an excellent interobserver agreement index, regardless of professional experience.

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Level III, retrospective comparative series.

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To evaluate different concentrations of ciprofloxacin to prevent infection after open fracture contaminated with S. aureus in rats using absorbable local delivery system. Methods: Fifty-two Wistar rats were assigned to six groups. After 4 weeks, all animals underwent 99mTc-ceftizoxima scintigraphy evaluation, callus formation measurement and histological analysis. ANOVA, t-Student and Kruskal Wallis were used for quantitative variables statistical analysis, whereas qui square and exact Fisher were used for qualitative variables. Results: Treatment using 25% and 50% of ciprofloxacin incorporated at the fracture fixation device were effective in preventing bone infection compared to control group (p<0.05). Chitosan were not effective in preventing bone infection when used alone compared to control group (p>0.05). Histological findings demonstrated bone-healing delay with 50% of ciprofloxacin. No difference in callus formation were observed (p>0.05). Conclusion: Local delivery treatment for contaminated open fracture using chitosan with ciprofloxacin is effective above 25%.