ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore therapeutic effects of modified anterolateral approach and traditional approach in treating distal tibiofibula fractures.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From September 2009 to December 2012,45 patients with distal tibiofibula fractures were performed reduction and interal fixation with modified anterolateral and traditional approaches. According to Ruedi-All-gower classification, 12 cases were type I ,26 cases were type II, 7 cases were type III. Among 45 patients,there were 16 males and 7 females with an average age of (36.3 +/- 7.2) years old (ranged from 23 to 47) years old in advanced group; while there were 14 males and 8 females with an average of (33.8 +/- 6.4) years old (ranged from 25 to 45) in tradtional group. Operation time, blood loss, complications of incision were compared, and AOFAS scores were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients were followed up from 6 to 36 months with an average of 21.7 months. In traditional group, operation time was (74.7 +/- 9.9) min, blood loss was (94.4 +/- 10.4) ml, and (73.7 +/- 10.0) min, (100.8 +/- 12.1) ml in advanced group,there was no significant meaning between two groups (P > 0.05); complications of insicion of advanced group was better than that of traditional group (chi2 = 4.078, P < 0.05); AOFAS score in advanced group (86.1 +/- 9.4) was better than that of traditional group, and had significant meaning (t = 3.787, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Modified anterolateral group,which has advantages of rapid recovery, less complications, is a good choice for closed distal tibiofibula fractures.</p>