Ace the 2026 CAMRT Pathology Test – Unleash Your Inner Disease Detective!

A fracture that involves both the lateral and medial malleolus is commonly referred to as a Pott's fracture. This type of fracture typically occurs in the ankle region and is characterized by the involvement of both of the bony prominences located on either side of the ankle joint. Pott's fracture specifically suggests a mechanism of injury involving external rotation or pronounced eversion of the foot, which leads to the simultaneous fracture of both the lateral and medial malleolus.

Bimalleolar fractures, while they do describe fractures involving both malleoli, are not the specific term traditionally used and may not capture the full aspect of the mechanism of injury. Trimalleolar fractures involve additional fractures of the posterior malleolus, going beyond just the lateral and medial malleolus, indicating a more complex injury. Lisfranc fractures refer to injuries in a different anatomical area (the midfoot), making them unrelated to malleolar fractures. Thus, Pott's fracture is the most accurate term for a fracture encompassing both the lateral and medial malleolus.