Description
Ankle injuries account for 5% of attendances to the accident and emergency (A&E) department, and although most patients undergo radiography, fracture of the ankle or mid-foot occurs in less than 15%. In 1992 Stiell et al at the University of Ottawa and the Ontario Ministry of Health developed the Ottawa ankle rules (OAR) to guide the clinician as to whether radiographs of the ankle or midfoot are required in patients with acute ankle injuries to exclude significant fractures. The study claimed a 100% sensitivity and the possibility of a 36% reduction in the number of ankle radiographs. This study has been confirmed and modified in several clinical settings including children with acute ankle injuries. The aim of this study was to assess how many unnecessary ankle or foot radiographs were requested by A&E clinicians in our department, and to determine whether educating them on the OAR would lead to a reduction in the number of radiographs ordered.
