Does Deltoid Ligament Repair Reduce Complications and Improve Functional Outcomes Measured by PROMIS Scores Following Ankle Fracture Surgery?

Background: Deltoid repair (DR) in ankle fracture surgery remains controversial. This study aims to determine whether DR reduces complications and improves outcomes measured by Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computerized adaptive tests (CATs) of physical function (...

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Main Authors: Steven M. Hadley BA, Rachel Bergman MD, John J. Peabody MD, Sarah J. Westvold MPH, Ryan Filler MD, Milap Patel DO, Anish R. Kadakia MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-04-01
Series:Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/24730114251330879
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author Steven M. Hadley BA
Rachel Bergman MD
John J. Peabody MD
Sarah J. Westvold MPH
Ryan Filler MD
Milap Patel DO
Anish R. Kadakia MD
author_facet Steven M. Hadley BA
Rachel Bergman MD
John J. Peabody MD
Sarah J. Westvold MPH
Ryan Filler MD
Milap Patel DO
Anish R. Kadakia MD
author_sort Steven M. Hadley BA
collection DOAJ
description Background: Deltoid repair (DR) in ankle fracture surgery remains controversial. This study aims to determine whether DR reduces complications and improves outcomes measured by Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computerized adaptive tests (CATs) of physical function (PF) and pain interference (PI). We hypothesized that DR would reduce complications and improve PROMIS scores. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 782 patients at a single institution who underwent ankle fracture surgery between January 2016 and December 2021. Two fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons independently reviewed all radiographs and assessed reduction quality and complications at final follow-up. Multiple extremity injuries, open fractures, and pilon variants were excluded. A total of 345 patients with deltoid ruptures were sent PROMIS CATs. Of those, 265 patients with minimum 1-year follow-up were analyzed for complications. Finally, 112 patients who completed CATs were analyzed for PROMIS. Wilcoxon rank-sum test compared PROMIS between groups. Linear regression modeled DR effect on PROMIS adjusted for relevant covariates and propensity scores. Results: Fifty of the 265 patients (18.9%) underwent DR. The incidence of radiographic evident complications among 215 patients (81.1%) without repair (NDR) was 14.42%: 7 (3.26%) degenerative joint disease, 3 (1.40%) ankle joint malreduction, 4 (1.86%) syndesmotic malreduction, and 8 (3.72%) malleolar malunion. The DR group had no radiographic complications. Among patients who completed CATs (n = 112), DR (n = 21) was not significantly different for mean PF (54.31±9.83 vs 52.79±10.42, P = .71) or mean PI (47.21±7.82 vs 48.53±8.37, P = .59) than NDR (n=91). Adjusted regression models estimated a 1.89-point increase in PF and a 1.67-point decrease in PI for DR vs NDR. When adjusted for propensity scores, DR had PF 2.17 higher and PI 1.73 lower compared to NDR. Neither of these reach minimal clinically important difference criteria. Conclusion: DR was associated with reduced radiographically evident complications following ankle fracture surgery. This study was underpowered to detect small effect sizes in PROMIS, and we remain uncertain if DR meaningfully improved patient-reported outcomes. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series study.
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spelling doaj-art-2e33266b827d46fbab94e9f09ea1f1a22025-08-20T01:48:24ZengSAGE PublishingFoot & Ankle Orthopaedics2473-01142025-04-011010.1177/24730114251330879Does Deltoid Ligament Repair Reduce Complications and Improve Functional Outcomes Measured by PROMIS Scores Following Ankle Fracture Surgery?Steven M. Hadley BA0Rachel Bergman MD1John J. Peabody MD2Sarah J. Westvold MPH3Ryan Filler MD4Milap Patel DO5Anish R. Kadakia MD6Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USADepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USADepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USAYale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USADepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USADepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USADepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USABackground: Deltoid repair (DR) in ankle fracture surgery remains controversial. This study aims to determine whether DR reduces complications and improves outcomes measured by Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computerized adaptive tests (CATs) of physical function (PF) and pain interference (PI). We hypothesized that DR would reduce complications and improve PROMIS scores. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 782 patients at a single institution who underwent ankle fracture surgery between January 2016 and December 2021. Two fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons independently reviewed all radiographs and assessed reduction quality and complications at final follow-up. Multiple extremity injuries, open fractures, and pilon variants were excluded. A total of 345 patients with deltoid ruptures were sent PROMIS CATs. Of those, 265 patients with minimum 1-year follow-up were analyzed for complications. Finally, 112 patients who completed CATs were analyzed for PROMIS. Wilcoxon rank-sum test compared PROMIS between groups. Linear regression modeled DR effect on PROMIS adjusted for relevant covariates and propensity scores. Results: Fifty of the 265 patients (18.9%) underwent DR. The incidence of radiographic evident complications among 215 patients (81.1%) without repair (NDR) was 14.42%: 7 (3.26%) degenerative joint disease, 3 (1.40%) ankle joint malreduction, 4 (1.86%) syndesmotic malreduction, and 8 (3.72%) malleolar malunion. The DR group had no radiographic complications. Among patients who completed CATs (n = 112), DR (n = 21) was not significantly different for mean PF (54.31±9.83 vs 52.79±10.42, P = .71) or mean PI (47.21±7.82 vs 48.53±8.37, P = .59) than NDR (n=91). Adjusted regression models estimated a 1.89-point increase in PF and a 1.67-point decrease in PI for DR vs NDR. When adjusted for propensity scores, DR had PF 2.17 higher and PI 1.73 lower compared to NDR. Neither of these reach minimal clinically important difference criteria. Conclusion: DR was associated with reduced radiographically evident complications following ankle fracture surgery. This study was underpowered to detect small effect sizes in PROMIS, and we remain uncertain if DR meaningfully improved patient-reported outcomes. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series study.https://doi.org/10.1177/24730114251330879
spellingShingle Steven M. Hadley BA
Rachel Bergman MD
John J. Peabody MD
Sarah J. Westvold MPH
Ryan Filler MD
Milap Patel DO
Anish R. Kadakia MD
Does Deltoid Ligament Repair Reduce Complications and Improve Functional Outcomes Measured by PROMIS Scores Following Ankle Fracture Surgery?
Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics
title Does Deltoid Ligament Repair Reduce Complications and Improve Functional Outcomes Measured by PROMIS Scores Following Ankle Fracture Surgery?
title_full Does Deltoid Ligament Repair Reduce Complications and Improve Functional Outcomes Measured by PROMIS Scores Following Ankle Fracture Surgery?
title_fullStr Does Deltoid Ligament Repair Reduce Complications and Improve Functional Outcomes Measured by PROMIS Scores Following Ankle Fracture Surgery?
title_full_unstemmed Does Deltoid Ligament Repair Reduce Complications and Improve Functional Outcomes Measured by PROMIS Scores Following Ankle Fracture Surgery?
title_short Does Deltoid Ligament Repair Reduce Complications and Improve Functional Outcomes Measured by PROMIS Scores Following Ankle Fracture Surgery?
title_sort does deltoid ligament repair reduce complications and improve functional outcomes measured by promis scores following ankle fracture surgery
url https://doi.org/10.1177/24730114251330879
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