Functional outcomes and complications following surgical management of neglected Lisfranc injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated surgical outcomes for neglected Lisfranc injuries across 10 studies involving 262 cases. The analysis found that surgery significantly improved AOFAS scores, with a pooled complication rate of 34%. Notably, higher energy injuries showed greater absolute postoperative improvement despite lower preoperative scores.

Key findings

• Surgery led to significant improvement in AOFAS scores for neglected Lisfranc injuries.
• The pooled complication rate was 34%, higher in high-energy injuries and with longer delays.
• Patients with high-energy injuries had lower preoperative scores but greater absolute postoperative improvement.
• Surgical procedure choice and treatment delay did not correlate with functional improvement.

Why it matters

Understanding the outcomes of surgical management for neglected Lisfranc injuries is crucial for clinicians, as it informs treatment strategies and expectations for recovery. The findings highlight the importance of assessing injury severity over timing in surgical decision-making.