Tillaux Fracture Associated with Adult Ankle Fracture Injury.

Tillaux fractures in adults are rare and, if unrecognized, can lead to ankle fracture healing complications, early progression of arthritis, and limited ankle movement caused by pain and degenerative changes. The Tillaux fracture was first described by Paul Tillaux as an external rotation injury of the ankle, involving an avulsion fracture of the distal anterolateral tibia. This fracture can be easily overlooked on plain radiographs in the adult. A high index of suspicion for this type of fracture pattern along with the use of computed tomographic scanning can help confirm the suspected diagnosis, rule out other tibial injuries, and provide more information on the best course of action. Historically, Tillaux fractures have been more common in adolescents because of the open tibial epiphyseal plate. Once the epiphyseal plate fully closes, skeletal maturity is achieved, thus making it extremely unusual for the anterior tibiofibular ligament to cause an avulsion fragment of the distal anterolateral tibia. Because of how uncommon this type of fracture is in adults, it has rarely been reported in our literature. We reviewed the literature and present a case report of this rare fracture injury.

Inaccuracy of Forefoot Axial Radiographs in Determining the Coronal Plane Angle of Sesamoid Rotation in Adult Hallux Valgus Deformity: A Study Using Weightbearing Computed Tomography.

BACKGROUND: Hallux abducto valgus is a triplane deformity with recent attention given to the significance of correcting the coronal plane component. This study explored the accuracy of the forefoot axial (FFA) study as a standard radiographic assessment method compared with weightbearing computed tomography (CT). METHODS: Twelve feet with hallux abducto valgus from 12 individuals were included in this study. Three images of the affected foot were taken: FFA radiograph and weightbearing CT with the foot in maximum pronation (pronated CT) and maximum supination (supinated CT). Five investigators determined the sesamoid rotation angles (SRAs) from each of the images. The measurements from a single investigator were used to compare the SRA means from each of the image types, and those from all five investigators were used to determine reliability. RESULTS: The mean ± SD SRA was 22.1° ± 7.6° for pronated CT, 10.5° ± 5.0° for supinated CT, and 12.2° ± 9.4° for FFA images. The mean SRA from the pronated CT was significantly greater than the supinated CT (P < .001) and FFA (P < .005) SRAs. There were no significant differences in mean SRA between the FFA and supinated CT images (P > .99). Results indicated high reliability in measurements among investigators. CONCLUSIONS: Using weightbearing CT, these findings indicate that the sesamoids significantly alter their position in the coronal plane, as determined by the SRA, with changes in weightbearing subtalar joint position. Moreover, the affected foot positioning required for determining the SRA from the FFA radiograph seems to significantly underestimate the true SRA. Thus, use of this image in surgical hallux abducto valgus planning is called into question.