Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36331574›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society2023

Intercalary fragments in posterior malleolar fractures: incidence, treatment implications, and distribution within CT-based classification systems.

Elena Mueller, Holger Kleinertz, Marlon Tessarzyk, Stefan Rammelt, Jan Bartoníček, Karl-Heinz Frosch, Alexej Barg, Carsten Schlickewei

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. [Surgical Treatment of a Posterior Malleolus Fracture: Literature Review].Acta chirurgiae orthopaedicae et traumatologiae Cechoslovaca · 2026
    Review
  2. Review
  3. Reduction and outcome of posterior pilon fractures with intercalary fragments: a retrospective cohort study comparing the transfibular and posteromedial approaches.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2025
    Article
  4. [Fractures of the upper ankle joint].Chirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Injury to the posterior malleolus in Maisonneuve fractures.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Elena Mueller *Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Holger Kleinertz *Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1494-4913
Marlon TessarzykDepartment of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2955-132X
Stefan RammeltUniversity Center of Orthopaedics, Trauma and Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Jan BartoníčekDepartment of Orthopaedics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Central Military Hospital Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
Karl-Heinz FroschDepartment of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Alexej Barg *Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0682-1961
Carsten SchlickeweiDepartment of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. c.schlickewei@uke.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionComplex ankle fractures frequently include the posterior malleolus (PM). Despite advances in diagnostic and treatment strategies, PM fracture involvement still predisposes to worse outcomes. While not incorporated into the most common PM fracture classifications, the presence of an intercalary fragment (ICF) complicates treatment. This study aims to describe the incidence, morphology, and location of ICFs in PM fractures. MATERIALS AND

methodsA total of 135 patients with a mean age of 54.4 (SD ± 18.9) years and PM fractures were analyzed for the presence of an ICF. Patients with an ICF were compared to those without in terms of age, gender, and treatment received. Characteristics of the ICFs in terms of location and size were assessed. Furthermore, the presence of an ICF in relation to the PM fracture classification according to Haraguchi et al., Bartoníček/Rammelt et al., and Mason et al. was investigated.

resultsICFs presented in 55 (41%) of the 135 patients. Patients with an ICF were younger, and the PM was more often operatively treated when compared to patients without an ICF. A posterolateral approach was used significantly more often in patients with an ICF. Almost all ICFs were found in the posterolateral (58%) and posterocentral (35%) regions. The majority of fragments were found in Bartoníček/Rammelt type 2 fractures, the most common fracture type. Bartoníček/Rammelt type 3 fractures had the highest relative frequency of ICFs.

conclusionICFs are frequently found in PM fractures; however, they are not incorporated into any of the common classifications. They are generally found in younger patients and associated with more complex PM fractures. As they can complicate reduction of the main fragment and may require direct exposure to restore joint congruency, ICFs should be considered in PM fracture classifications. Due to their location, the majority of ICFs are able to be accessed using a posterolateral approach.

Indexed as

Ankle FracturesFracture Fixation, InternalHumansIncidenceMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTibiaTomography, X-Ray ComputedTreatment OutcomeAnkle fractureBartoníček/RammeltIntercalary fragmentPosterior malleolar fracture

Identifiers

PMID36331574
PMCPMC10175417

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.