Potential Benefits of Limited Clinical and Radiographic Follow-up After Surgical Treatment of Ankle Fractures.
Lisa G M FriedmanDaniela SanchezTerri A ZachosAndrew MarcantonioMegan AudetHeather VallierBrian H MullisAdam Myers-WhiteLaurence B KemptonJeffrey WattsDaniel S HorwitzPublished in: Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews (2021)
Given the average time to healing, there is limited utility in routine radiographic and clinical follow-up beyond 16 weeks in asymptomatic patients. In our series, this would result in a savings of $950 to $1,200 per patient. However, after ankle fractures were deemed healed, 0.7% patients had radiographic evidence of a change in implant position. Documenting this change did not modify the immediate course of fracture treatment. Surgeons will need to balance the need for routine follow-up with the potential economic benefits in reducing costs to the healthcare system.