Pilon fracture

Case contributed by Leonardo Lustosa
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Polytrauma after falling from a 4-meter height. Thorax, lumbar and lower limbs were painful.

Patient Data

Age: 50 years
Gender: Male

Ankle series

x-ray

Radiographs of the ankle revealed a distal comminuted tibial fracture involving the articular surface and the medial malleolus, hence a pilon fracture.

Case Discussion

Fall from height injuries need thorough assessment as many different regions of the skeleton may be affected.

The greater the height, the more like the patient is to sustain multiple fractures throughout their skeleton.

The most commonly affected areas are:

  • skull
  • cervical spine
  • scapulae
  • upper extremities
  • rib cage
  • lumbar spine
  • pelvis
  • lower extremities

In the present case, the patient had a distal tibia fracture and a lumbar spine fracture (rID: 97559).

How to use cases

You can use Radiopaedia cases in a variety of ways to help you learn and teach.

Creating your own cases is easy.