MRI of Isolated Distal Fibular Fractures with Widened Medial Clear Space on Stressed Radiographs: Which Ligaments Are Interrupted?

Abstract

In our retrospective study of 19 patients, we have categorized ligament injury and found partial or complete tears in all cases in at least two of the four major ligament groups--usually the deltoid and syndesmosis groups. The anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament of the syndesmosis suffered complete interruption in every case. The posterior tibiotalar ligament of the deltoid group, a major contributor to stability, was generally injured but, unexpectedly, most of these tears were partial.