Compound dislocations of the ankle-joints / by Frederic S. Dennis.

  • Frederic Shepard Dennis
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Compound dislocations of the ankle-joints / by Frederic S. Dennis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    destroyed by a too early employment of motion at a time when absolute rest is imperatively demanded. No hard and fast rule can be made as to the amount of movement that the patient should be allowed to make. Tlie best guide is the feelings of *the patient. Too much exercise is as liarmful as too little, and ex- ercise attended Avith pain and fatigue is as injurious as the movement of the joint a Aveek after the injury. The ])atient should be advised to move the joint but little at first, and by increasing the amount of movement daily, perfect restoration of the joint can bo secured. I have seen most gratifying results follow this plan of treatment in compound dislocation of the ankle- joint. Recently I have had two cases, in one of Avhich the compound dislocation was associated Avith a fracture. In both of these cases recovery took place Avith little or no constitutional disturbance and Avith perfect restoration of the joint. In another case the astragalus was entirely outside of the joint and held only by a ligament. The astragalus Avas returned to its proper place, and the patient recovered Avith but very slight constitutional symptoms and Avith a per- fectly restored ankle-joint. I regret that space Avill not permit the report in full of these and other cases of compound dislocation of the ankle-joint. If I have succeeded in directing attention to a plan of treatment that Avill insure success in tlie difficult management of these serious injuries the object of the })aper is fulfilled.
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