Publication Name	World Journal of Orthopedics
Manuscript ID	125993
DOI	10.5312/wjo.125993
Country	China

Category	Orthopedics
Manuscript Type	Retrospective Study
Article Title	Occult syndesmotic injury in chronic lateral ankle instability treated with Broström repair and suture-button stabilization
Manuscript Source	Unsolicited Manuscript
All Author List	Gui-Cheng Li, Cheng-Bo Du, Hao Lu, Jia-Bao Ju and Hai-Lin Xu
Funding Agency and Grant Number	Funding Agency Grant Number Peking University People’s Hospital Scientific Research Development Funds No. RDGS2024-07 Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation No. L234015 Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Development Fund No. BJZYZD-2025-12
Corresponding Author	Hai-Lin Xu, MD, Professor, Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University, No. 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China. hailin@bjmu.edu.cn
Key Words	Syndesmosis; Occult syndesmotic injury; Suture-button; Chronic lateral ankle instability; Broström repair
Core Tip	This study highlights a selected subgroup of patients with chronic lateral ankle instability who had persistent anterior syndesmotic symptoms despite the absence of definite distal tibiofibular diastasis on static imaging. Occult syndesmotic instability was supported by qualitative stress testing under anesthesia. Combined Broström repair and suture-button stabilization was associated with sustained clinical improvement at 5 years. These hypothesis-generating findings support careful syndesmotic assessment and a selective approach to stabilization but do not establish an independent treatment effect.
Citation	Li GC, Du CB, Lu H, Ju JB, Xu HL. Occult syndesmotic injury in chronic lateral ankle instability treated with Broström repair and suture-button stabilization. World J Orthop 2026; In press DOI: https://doi.org/10.5312/wjo.125993
PDF	125993-in-press.pdf

Received	2026-07-22 08:12
Peer-Review Started	2026-07-22 08:13
First Decision by Editorial Office Director
Return for Revision	2026-08-05 09:35
Revised	2026-08-13 15:13
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-10-14 05:44
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-10-14 08:58
Articles in Press	2026-10-14 08:58
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	2218-5836 (online)
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