Indian doctor names novel ankle fracture: Introducing the Patel-Sharma fracture fragment

Chandigarh: In a groundbreaking achievement, Dr Sandeep Patel, associate professor at the Department of Orthopaedics, PGI, described a novel fracture around the ankle, now termed the Patel-Sharma Fracture Fragment. This pioneering work was published in the prestigious Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Case Connector. "This is the first time that a fracture has been named after an Indian doctor as per the published literature," claimed Dr Patel. The Patel-Sharma fracture involves a fibular-sided avulsion of the Posterior Inferior Tibiofibular Ligament (PITFL), a unique injury pattern not previously recognised in orthopaedic literature. PITFL is a piece of connective tissue in an ankle that helps hold the two bones of the lower leg — the tibia (the larger bone in the front) and the fibula (the thinner bone on the side) — together.
The Patel-Sharma fragment plays a significant role in maintaining the stability of a fibrous joint that connects the tibia and fibula. Proper fixation of this fragment is essential to prevent further instability in the ankle joint. If this fragment is not recognised and properly treated, it can lead to complications such as chronic pain, joint instability, and possibly long-term damage to the ankle.
In ankle injuries, the stability of the joint is highly dependent on the proper functioning of the syndesmosis, a fibrous joint that connects the tibia and fibula. When the PITFL is damaged, as it was in this case done by the surgeons, it can lead to long-term complications if not treated properly. The case report emphasises that fixation of this unique fragment is necessary to ensure the syndesmosis remains stable, allowing for better healing and function. The surgical team repaired the fractured ligament and fibula on a 30-year-old patient, but the patient's stability was still compromised due to associated ligament damage. They used additional stabilising screws to ensure everything healed correctly. Follow-up scans after 13 months indicated successful recovery.
Tradition followed
What made this case particularly interesting is that the fragment that broke off from the fibula was not something that doctors described before in medical literature. Because of this, the doctors decided to name this new fragment the "Patel-Sharma fragment," after themselves, following a tradition where new medical discoveries are often named.
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