Incidence of Ankle Fractures and Their Management Outcomes at Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, Yobe State

Ankle fractures are among the most frequent lower limb injuries in orthopaedic practice, encompassing a broad spectrum of injury severity from isolated malleolar fractures to complex triplane injuries. This retrospective descriptive study documents the incidence, injury pattern, and management outcomes of ankle fractures at the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, Yobe State, North East Nigeria, over a two-year period. Case records will be reviewed for patient demographics, Lauge-Hansen and AO classification of fractures, mechanism of injury, management modality (conservative versus operative), complications, and functional outcomes assessed at six months using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score. Associations between fracture classification and management choice will be explored. The study is expected to reveal a predominance of supination-adduction and supination-external rotation fracture patterns. Findings will inform the orthopaedic unit at FMC Nguru and the Yobe State Ministry of Health about the ankle fracture burden and optimal management approaches in this underserved North East setting. This study contributes to the limited data on ankle fracture epidemiology in Yobe State, where formal orthopaedic subspecialty services are developing, and supports the case for continued investment in trauma surgical capacity in the region. Keywords: ankle fractures, AOFAS score, Lauge-Hansen classification, management outcomes, Yobe State.