Pilon fractures of the distal tibia remain a treatment challenge to orthopedists. Careful preoperative planning is crucial to achieving desirable clinical outcomes, but currently the literature does not reach a consensus on which surgical approach is optimal. This study examines functional outcomes of two of the most common surgical approaches for pilon fractures, the traditional anteromedial approach and the more recently described anterolateral approach. The anterolateral approach is thought to produce better outcomes because of the greater amount of visualization into the articular surface and greater soft tissue coverage for the implant
