Progress in diagnosis and treatment of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury

Objective: To review the progress in the diagnosis and treatment of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury.

Methods: Different kinds of documents were widely collected, current developments of the diagnosis and treatment of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury were summarized.

Results: The disease history (damage mechanism), clinical examination, and imaging examination (X-ray, CT scan, and MRI) can assist the diagnosis of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury. Patients with unstable distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury needs active surgery treatment, and the principle is anatomical reduction and fixation so as to avoid the instability of the ankle joint, long-term chronic pain, and traumatic arthritis.

Conclusions: The diagnosis of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury is still lack of specific quantitative parameters, so clinical study for large sample is needed to explicit the effectiveness.