A Case Report on a Syndesmotic Ankle Injury Treated With Arthrex TightRope

Syndesmotic ankle injuries, often referred to as "high ankle sprains," pose intricate challenges in orthopedic practice, particularly among athletes engaged in high-impact sports. Conventional treatments have encompassed conservative approaches and the use of syndesmotic screws, each beset by inherent limitations. The Arthrex TightRope system has emerged as a pioneering alternative, heralded for its capacity to facilitate physiologic micromotion, eliminate the necessity for hardware removal, and expedite early rehabilitation. This case report delineates the management of a 29-year-old male professional soccer player who suffered a trimalleolar ankle fracture compounded by a severe syndesmotic injury subsequent to a road traffic accident. The patient underwent a comprehensive treatment involving open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of all three malleoli, complemented by syndesmotic stabilization employing the Arthrex TightRope system. Post-operative care encompassed a regimen of gradual weight-bearing and methodical rehabilitation. At the one-year follow-up, the patient demonstrated excellent ankle joint function devoid of pain or complications related to hardware, underscoring the efficacy of managing syndesmotic and malleolar fractures successfully. This case underscores the potential advantages of integrating traditional ORIF techniques with contemporary syndesmotic fixation strategies like the TightRope system for complex ankle fractures, advocating for further research to refine their optimal utilization in clinical settings.