Isolated Lateral Malleolar Fracture Treated with a Bioabsorbable Magnesium Compression Screw

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) bioabsorbable screws are new biomaterials used in fracture fixation. In the current literature, there is only one case report on the use of magnesium bio-absorbable screws in ankle fractures. Within the present study, a 19-year-old female who sustained an isolated lateral malleolar fracture was treated with open reduction and intramedullary Mg screw fixation and then followed up for two years. Fracture union was achieved without any complication such as failure of fixation, loss of reduction, infection, or any other adverse reaction. Mg bioabsorbable screws are an alternative method of fracture fixation as compared to conventional metallic implants since they eliminate the need for implant removal.

Can Hardware Removal be Avoided Using Bioresorbable Mg-Zn-Ca Screws After Medial Malleolar Fracture Fixation? Mid-Term Results of a First-In-Human Study

“…According to a recent systematic review and meta-analysis including eight clinical trials and reviewing a total number of 230 patients, the estimated complication rate for Mg-based implants was 13.3% [29] . In the current literature a total of five clinical studies including prospective and retrospective clinical trials investigating Mg-based alloys implanted in foot ankles are registered and exhibit similar clinical and functional outcomes [30][31][32][33][34] . All of these studies aimed on the clinical implementation of Mg implants alloyed with REEs.…”

Use of resorbable magnesium screws in children: Systematic review of the literature and short-term follow-up from our series

“…The MgYREZr screw demonstrated similar efficacy in functional and radiological outcomes in modified Chevron osteotomy in hallux valgus, 23 medial malleolar fracture 44 and good clinical outcome in other isolated reports. 29 , 33 All these studies, indeed, are conducted in adult populations, with the only exception being Jungesblut et al 21 , reporting on an average age of 13.7 years. Nonetheless, according to inclusion criteria we cannot tell if some of the patients had already reached skeletal maturity.…”

Radiographic and histologic effects of bone morphogenetic protein-2/hydroxyapatite within bioabsorbable magnesium screws in a rabbit model

“…Both authors, Baver et al and Biber et al, performed magnesium cannulated screws to lateral malleolar fixation. Similarly, Meier et al used magnesium cannulated screws for scaphoid fracture and Leonhardt et al used it for fixation of fractures of the condylar head of the mandible [7, 33–35]. Despite magnesium cannulated screws have been available on the orthopedic field, complications relative to gas formation around implant have been reported.…”