Purpose: The purpose of this study was to introduce and evaluate the Descriptive Ankle Fracture Classification (DAFC) system, a novel alphanumeric method for categorizing ankle fractures and fracture dislocations, and to assess its reliability and prognostic value compared to traditional classification systems (AO/OTA, Weber, and Lauge-Hansen).
Materials And Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 90 patients who underwent surgical treatment for ankle fractures. Four observers of varying experience levels classified the fractures using the DAFC, AO/OTA, Weber, and Lauge-Hansen classification systems. Interobserver and intraobserver reliability were evaluated using Fleiss' Kappa coefficient. Functional outcomes were assessed with the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) and Olerud Molander Ankle Score (OMAS) systems, and comparisons were made across classification systems to determine prognostic value.
Results: The DAFC system demonstrated superior interobserver reliability, particularly for medial malleolus fractures (Kappa = 0.935-0.954) and syndesmotic injuries (Kappa = 0.873-0.891), compared to the other systems. Intraobserver reliability was consistently high across all categories in the DAFC system, with Kappa values ranging from 0.967 to 1.000. Functional outcomes revealed significant associations with the DAFC classification: patients with complete dislocation (D2) had significantly lower AOFAS and OMAS scores than those without dislocation (D0) (P = 0.011), and those with larger posterior malleolus fractures (P2) had poorer OMAS scores (P = 0.014). No statistically significant differences in AOFAS or OMAS scores were observed across AO/OTA, Weber, or Lauge-Hansen classifications.
Conclusions: The DAFC system offers a reliable and comprehensive framework for ankle fracture classification, with the added benefit of prognostic insights, particularly regarding dislocation and posterior malleolus involvement. Its high interobserver and intraobserver reliability, even among observers with varying experience, suggests that the DAFC system is valuable for clinical use. Future research should focus on validating these findings in larger cohorts and assessing the DAFC system's impact on long-term patient outcomes.
Level Of Evidence: Level IV, Retrospective cohort.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11789300 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13018-025-05539-z | DOI Listing |
J Orthop Surg Res
February 2025
Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Health Sciences, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to introduce and evaluate the Descriptive Ankle Fracture Classification (DAFC) system, a novel alphanumeric method for categorizing ankle fractures and fracture dislocations, and to assess its reliability and prognostic value compared to traditional classification systems (AO/OTA, Weber, and Lauge-Hansen).
Materials And Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 90 patients who underwent surgical treatment for ankle fractures. Four observers of varying experience levels classified the fractures using the DAFC, AO/OTA, Weber, and Lauge-Hansen classification systems.
ACS Nano
January 2025
College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
Low-temperature direct ammonia fuel cell (DAFC) stands out as a more secure technology than the hydrogen fuel cell system, while there is still a lack of elegant bottom-up synthesis procedures for efficient ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR) electrocatalysts. The widely accepted d-band center, even with consideration of the d-band width, usually fails to describe variations in AOR reactivity in many practical conditions, and a more accurate activity descriptor is necessary for a less empirical synthesis path. Herein, the upper d-band edge, ε, derived from the d-band model, is identified as an effective descriptor for accurately establishing the descriptor-activity relationship.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSmall
December 2024
Physical & Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, 411008, India.
The growing interest in low-temperature direct ammonia fuel cells (DAFCs) arises from the utilization of a carbon-neutral ammonia source; however, DAFCs encounter significant electrode overpotentials due to the substantial energy barrier of the *NH to *NH dehydrogenation, compounded by the facile deactivation by *N on the Pt surface. In this work, a unique catalyst, PtIr@AlOOH/NGr i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Res
December 2024
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India; National Institute of Technology Puducherry, Karaikal, 609609, India. Electronic address:
The industrial production of synthetic fertilizers and the wide-scale combustion of fossil fuels have disrupted the global nitrogen cycle, necessitating a prudent shift towards sustainable nitrogen management. Traditional wastewater treatment methods primarily focus on nitrogen elimination rather than recovery in useable form, exacerbating resource depletion and environmental degradation. This review explores integrated technologies, including bio-electroconcentration cells (BEC), direct ammonia fuel cells (DAFC), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), and microbial fuel cells (MFC), for effective nutrient recovery in conjugation with energy recovery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnal Biochem
November 2021
Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, W23 F2H6, Ireland. Electronic address:
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a severe life-threatening condition. Diagnosis of fungal disease in general, and especially that caused by Aspergillus fumigatus is problematic. A.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!