Intra Articular Ankle Fractures
Intra-Articular Fractures
About this trial
This is an interventional prevention trial for Intra-Articular Fractures
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adult subjects (over 18 years of age)
- Must be treated at Duke University Hospital Emergency Department
- Intra-articular fracture of the ankle joint (any fracture of the fibula or tibia in which the fracture line(s) exit into the cartilage surface of the ankle joint)
- Subjects presenting between 0-48 hours from the time of injury
Exclusion Criteria:
- Age < 18 y.o.
- Open fracture
- Nonoperatively treated fractures
- Subjects presenting >48 hours from the time of injury
Sites / Locations
- Duke University Medical CenterRecruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
No Intervention
Intra-articular saline lavage
No intra-articular saline lavage
Subjects in Group 1 will then undergo saline joint lavage as follows: Subjects will undergo aspiration of the injured ankle joint via the standard anteromedial arthroscopy portal approach. This will be performed with sterile technique using a 16-gauge needle attached to a 10cc syringe. After synovial fluid aspiration, three 10cc syringes will be filled with 10cc of sterile 0.9% normal saline. Normal saline will be injected into the ankle joint and withdrawn from the joint via the existing anteromedial 16 gauge needle. After three rounds of lavage, 10cc of 1% lidocaine without epinephrine will be injected into the joint via the existing anteromedial 16-gauge needle. Subjects will undergo a period of soft tissue rest to allow for the resolution of soft tissue swelling. At the time of surgical fixation subjects will again undergo intra-articular aspiration of the injured ankle joint.
Subjects in group 2 will not undergo normal saline lavage as follows: Subjects will undergo aspiration of the injured ankle joint via the standard anteromedial arthroscopy portal approach. This will be performed with sterile technique using a 16-gauge needle attached to a 10cc syringe. After synovial fluid aspiration, they will undergo intra-articular injection of 10cc of 1% lidocaine without epinephrine via the existing anteromedial 16-gauge needle. Subjects will undergo a period of soft tissue rest to allow for the resolution of soft tissue swelling. At the time of surgical fixation, subjects will again undergo intra-articular aspiration of the injured ankle joint.