Ankle surgery is sometimes required to stabilize a broken bone after a traumatic injury. We use a technique called Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF), which is a common treatment for stabilizing a fractured tibia (lower leg bone), ankle, or foot. ORIF properly aligns the bones and promotes correct and faster healing. This treatment is for fractures that cannot heal properly on their own.

Ankle Surgery (ORIF) Procedure

The ankle surgery is performed using metal plates, pins, and screws. During the procedure, the hardware is used to align the bones and hold them in place while they heal. For support of the longer bones, such as the tibia, a procedure called intramedullary (IM) rodding is used. In this procedure, a rod is inserted into the bone marrow canal in the center of the bone to provide long-term support for the bone. 

Once these pieces are in place, they usually stay there permanently, as long as pain or other symptoms don’t develop.