Objective  To investigate the surgical method and clinical effect of suture anchor fixation in the treatment of patients with distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury.

  Methods  A total of 63 patients with distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury were selected and divided into suture anchor group (n=34) and metal screw group (n=29). All the patients were diagnosed based on medical history, physical examination and imaging examination, and surgical treatment was performed according to the classification of ankle fracture (Lauge-Hansen); X-ray and CT measurements were used to evaluate the impaired and repair conditions of lower tibiofibular syndesmosis injury; clinical efficacy was evaluated by the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS).

  Results  A total of 58 patients were followed up, 30 patients in the conventional suture anchor group were followed up for 24 months (13~42 months), and 28 patients in the metal screw group were followed up for 25 months (15~42 months). No complications such as postoperative incision infection, loose and broken of internal fixation, and failure of fixation of lower tibiofibular syndesmosis were observed in all the patients. X-ray and CT measurement showed that the lower tibiofibular syndesmosis injury in both groups improved significantly when compared with that before operation, and the difference of AOFAS score between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Suture anchor fixation of lower tibiofibular syndesmosis conforms to standard of elastic fixation, which can avoid removal of secondary operation. Fine surgical techniques and anatomy of lower tibiofibular syndesmosis enable patients to obtain good ankle function recovery, and suture anchor fixation is one of the effective methods for treatment of lower tibiofibular syndesmosis injury.