Functional Status of Patients After Surgical Management of Ankle Dislocation at Ondo State Specialist Hospital, Akure

Ankle dislocation with or without associated fracture is a high-energy injury requiring prompt reduction and, in many cases, operative fixation to restore joint congruency and prevent long-term dysfunction. This prospective observational study evaluates the functional status of patients following surgical management of ankle dislocation at Ondo State Specialist Hospital, Akure, South West Nigeria. Consecutive patients undergoing surgical reduction and fixation of ankle dislocation over a twelve-month period will be enrolled and assessed at six weeks, three months, and six months post-operatively. The primary outcome measure will be the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, supplemented by visual analogue scale pain scores, radiological joint alignment assessment, and return to pre-injury activity level. Associated fractures (bimalleolar and trimalleolar patterns) will be documented and their influence on outcomes analysed using analysis of variance. The study hypothesises that bimalleolar fracture-dislocations are associated with the lowest functional scores at six months. Results will be submitted to the orthopaedic unit at Ondo State Specialist Hospital to guide post-operative rehabilitation pathways. This research contributes to the limited literature on ankle dislocation surgical outcomes from South West Nigerian regional hospitals and provides a model for prospective outcome tracking in lower-complexity orthopaedic units. Keywords: ankle dislocation, surgical fixation, AOFAS score, functional outcome, Akure.