Editing Pott's fracture (section)

{{short description|Archaic term for ankle fractures}}
{{Distinguish|Pott disease|Dupuytren's contracture}}

'''Pott's fracture''', also known as '''Pott's syndrome I''' and '''Dupuytren fracture''', is an archaic term loosely applied to a variety of [[Bimalleolar fracture|bimalleolar]] ankle fractures.<ref>Hunter, T., Peltier, L.F. Lund, P. J. (2000). ''[http://radiographics.rsnajnls.org/cgi/content/full/20/3/819 Radiographics. 20:819-736]''.</ref>  The injury is caused by a combined abduction external rotation from an eversion force. This action strains the sturdy medial (deltoid) ligament of the ankle, often tearing off the [[medial malleolus]] due to its strong attachment. The [[talus bone|talus]] then moves laterally, shearing off the [[lateral malleolus]] or, more commonly, breaking the [[fibula]] superior to the tibiofibular [[syndesmosis]]. If the tibia is carried anteriorly, the posterior margin of the distal end of the tibia is also sheared off by the talus. A fractured fibula in addition to detaching the medial malleolus will tear the tibiofibular syndesmosis.<ref name="ReferenceA">Moore and Agur. Essential Clinical Anatomy. Lippincotts Williams and Wilkins. 2007</ref> The combined fracture of the medial malleolus, lateral malleolus, and the posterior margin of the distal end of the tibia is known as a "trimalleolar fracture".<ref>Moore and Dalley. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 2006</ref>

An example of Pott's fracture would be in a sports tackling injury. The player receives a blow to the outside of the ankle, causing the ankle to roll inwards (so that the sole of the foot faces laterally). This damages the ligaments on the inside of the ankle and fractures the fibula at the point of contact (usually just above the tibiofibular syndesmosis). A better way to visualize this is the two hands of a clock, with one hand facing 12 and the other facing 6. The vertical line they form represents the fibula of the person's right leg. The lateral force approaches from 3 o'clock, sending the lower hand snapping outwards to point at 5 o'clock.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

Bimalleolar fractures are less likely to result in arthritis than [[trimalleolar fracture]]s.<ref name="pmid10901648">{{cite journal |author=Wilson FC |title=Fractures of the ankle: pathogenesis and treatment |journal=Journal of the Southern Orthopaedic Association |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=105–15 |year=2000 |pmid=10901648 |url=http://www.medscape.com/viewpublication/137_toc?vol=9&iss=2}}</ref>
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