Comparative study on surgical treatment of weber type B fracture: Posterior versus lateral fixation with locking one-third tubular plate

TL;DR

This study compares two surgical approaches for treating Weber type B ankle fractures and finds that posterior fixation leads to better recovery and fewer complications.

Contribution

The study provides evidence that posterior fixation using a locking one-third tubular plate is a viable alternative to lateral fixation for Weber type B fractures.

Findings

Posterior fixation showed better biomechanical stability and fewer hardware-related complaints.

Patients with posterior fixation had better functional recovery and fewer soft tissue complications at six months.

Lateral fixation was associated with shorter operative duration.

Abstract

Weber type B ankle fractures present a common surgical challenge, with the optimal fixation approach remaining debated. This
retrospective study compared clinical and radiological outcomes of posterior versus lateral fixation using locking one-third tubular
plates in 118 patients. Posterior fixation demonstrated superior biomechanical stability and fewer hardware-related complaints, whereas
lateral fixation offered shorter operative duration. At six months, patients in the posterior fixation group achieved better functional
recovery and experienced fewer soft tissue complications. These findings support posterior plating as an effective alternative to the
conventional lateral approach in suitable cases.