Which surgery is best for frail seniors with broken ankles? new study aims to find out
NCT ID NCT05131321
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two types of surgery for unstable ankle fractures in frail adults aged 60 and older. One group gets ankle fusion (joining the bones together), and the other gets open reduction and internal fixation (using plates and screws to hold the bones in place). A second part of the study also compares a less invasive nailing technique to standard fixation. The goal is to see which approach leads to better quality of life and less pain one year after surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- surgery (ankle fusion or open reduction and internal fixation)
- What this could lead to
- If this trial succeeds, it could identify the best surgical approach for frail elderly patients with ankle fractures, improving their recovery and quality of life.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small trial (172 participants) comparing two established procedures, so it may not find a clear winner. Results may not apply to all patients or settings.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 172 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2022
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Ankle fracture patients receiving care at the participating institutions will be eligible for enrolment based on the eligibility criteria.
- Ages
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40 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Patient Inclusion Criteria - Both Parts: (i) Age ≥ 60 years (ii) One or more of the following: * Severe soft tissue compromise * Significant co-morbidities (vascular disease + chronic trophic changes, diabetes + neuropathy, chronic renal failure, morbid obesity (BMI\> 40)) * Frailty as defined by a Dalhousie Clinical Frailty Scale score ≥4 Part 1 Specific Inclusion Criteria: (i) Isolated fracture (within 4 weeks of injury): an AO/OTA type 43C2 or C3 tibial pilon fracture or severe ankle fracture (fracture-dislocation, severe joint impaction, severe trimalleolar) Part 2 Specific Inclusion Criteria (i) Isolated fracture (within 4 weeks of injury): an AO/OTA type 44B2, B3, C1 or C2 ankle fracture Patient Exclusion Criteria - Both Parts: (i) Presence of vascular injury or pathologic fracture; (ii) Previous tibia pilon fracture or retained hardware in affected limb; (iii) Refusal to participate; (iv) Inability to obtain informed consent due to language barrier
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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London Health Sciences Centre
RECRUITINGLondon, Ontario, N6A5W9, Canada
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Could walking on a repaired ankle right after surgery beat six weeks off your feet?
- Could a single bone screw save ankles from arthritis?
- Can early weight bearing improve diabetic ankle fracture recovery?
- Can a brace replace the cast for certain ankle fractures?
- Dissolving screws could spare ankle fracture patients a second surgery
- Could a single injection after ankle surgery ward off arthritis?