Risk Factors for Short-Term Complication After Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Ankle Fractures: Analysis of a Large Insurance Claims Database

Although fractures of the ankle are common injuries treated by surgical podiatrists and orthopaedic surgeons specializing in foot and ankle surgery, postoperative complications can occur, often imposing an economic burden on the patient. As health care in the United States moves toward value-based care, cost reduction has primarily focused on reducing complications and unplanned episodes of care. We used a large modern database of insurance claims to examine patterns of complications after open reduction internal fixation of ankle fractures, identifying diabetes mellitus and history of myocardial infarction as risk factors for postoperative infection within 30 days of surgery.

Source: Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery - February 25, 2020 Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Daniel C. Jupiter, En Shuo Hsu, George Tye Liu, John G. Reilly, Naohiro Shibuya Source Type: research