What characterizes a Maisoneneuve fracture?

A Maisoneneuve fracture is characterized by a spiral fibular fracture that occurs in conjunction with disruption of the syndesmosis, which is the fibrous joint connecting the two bones of the lower leg, the tibia and fibula. This type of fracture often results from a significant twisting mechanism or trauma and is frequently associated with ankle injuries.

In the context of the injury, the disruption of the syndesmosis can lead to instability in the ankle joint, which is critical to address surgically to prevent long-term complications, such as chronic pain or arthritis. The spiral nature of the fibular fracture suggests a rotational force was applied, further emphasizing the mechanism of injury is important to understanding this fracture type.

The other choices do not accurately describe a Maisoneneuve fracture. For instance, a complete tibial fracture refers to a different injury pattern affecting only the tibia, which does not involve the fibula or the syndesmosis. A fracture of the calcaneus pertains specifically to the heel bone and is unrelated to the anatomy of the lower leg. Lastly, a transverse fibular fracture at the ankle does not describe the characteristic spiral pattern or the associated syndesmosis disruption found in a Maisoneneuve fracture.