A tourniquet is usually used during ankle arthroscopy to allow for improved visibility and reduced operation time. However, clinical studies on knee arthroscopy have not demonstrated this to be true. In addition, Zengerink and van Dijk emphasized a limited tourniquet time in ankle arthroscopy as a possible factor to lower the complication rate even more. The purpose of this prospective randomized controlled trial was to examine the effect of tourniquet use on arthroscopic visualization, operative time, postoperative intra-articular bleeding, postoperative pain scores and outcome of anterior ankle arthroscopy. A consecutive series of 50 patients who were scheduled for anterior ankle arthroscopy were randomized to have the surgery done either without the tourniquet inflated (25 patients) or with the tourniquet inflated (25 patients). The patients were evaluated by the course of the surgery, postoperative intra-articular bleeding, pain during the early postoperative period and by using the subjective and objective functional scores to evaluate the condition of the ankle before and 3 and 6 months after the surgery. The statistical analysis was performed with the normality of distribution tested by both Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. Appropriate parametric or non-parametric methods were then used to test statistical hypotheses, while the statistical significance (alpha, Type I error) was set at .05. Fourty-nine patients were present at the final follow-up, 6 months after the surgery. The results between the groups were comparable regarding the duration of the operative procedure, consumption of sterile saline, visualisation and functional scores. Notable difference between the groups in favour of the non-tourniquet group was present regarding postoperative bleeding, but was not statistically significant. Statistically significant difference in favour of the non-tourniquet group was found regarding postoperative pain during several days in the early postoperative period. Our study has shown that anterior ankle arthroscopy may be performed adequately without the use of a tourniquet and that it has the same operative course as in cases in which the tourniquet is used and functional outcomes which are not worse than in cases in which the tourniquet is used

Aims. This systematic review aimed to summarize the full range of complications reported following ankle arthroscopy and the frequency at which they occur. Methods. A computer-based search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Emcare, and ISI Web of Science. Two-stage title/abstract and full-text screening was performed independently by two reviewers. English-language original research studies reporting perioperative complications in a cohort of at least ten patients undergoing ankle arthroscopy were included. Complications were pooled across included studies in order to derive an overall complication rate. Quality assessment was performed using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine levels of evidence classification. Results. A total of 150 studies describing 7,942 cases of ankle arthroscopy in 7,777 patients were included. The overall pooled complication rate was 325/7,942 (4.09%). The most common complication was neurological injury, accounting for 180/325 (55.4%) of all complications. Of these, 59 (32.7%) affected the superficial peroneal nerve. Overall, 36/180 (20%) of all nerve injuries were permanent. The overall complication rate following anterior ankle arthroscopy was 205/4,709 (4.35%) compared to a rate of 35/528 (6.6%) following posterior arthroscopy. Neurological injury occurred in 52/1,998 (2.6%) of anterior cases using distraction, compared to 59/2,711 (2.2%) in cases with no distraction. The overall rate of major complications was 16/7,942 (0.2%), with the most common major complication – deep vein thrombosis – occurring in five cases. Conclusion. This comprehensive systematic review demonstrates that ankle arthroscopy is a safe procedure with a low overall complication rate. The majority of complications are minor, with potentially life-threatening complications reported in only 0.2% of patients. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(3):239–246

PURPOSE. Osteochondral talar defects (OCDs) are sometimes located so far posteriorly that they may not be accessible by anterior arthroscopy, even with the ankle joint in full plantar flexion, because the talar dome is covered by the tibial plafond. It was hypothesized that computed tomography (CT) of the ankle in full plantar flexion could be useful for preoperative planning. The dual purpose of this study was, firstly, to test whether CT of the ankle joint in full plantar flexion is a reliable tool for the preoperative planning of anterior ankle arthroscopy for OCDs, and, secondly, to determine the area of the talar dome that can be reached by anterior ankle arthroscopy. METHODS. In this prospective study, CT-scans with sagittal reconstructions were made of 46 consecutive patients with their affected ankle in full plantar flexion. In the first 20, the distance between the anterior border of the OCD and the anterior tibial plafond was measured both on the scans and during anterior ankle arthroscopy as the gold standard. Intra- and interobserver reliability of CT as well as agreement between CT and arthroscopy were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and a Bland and Altman graph. Next, the anterior and posterior borders of the talar dome as well as the anterior tibial plafond were marked on all 46 scans. Using a specially written computer routine, the anterior proportion of the talar dome not covered by the tibial plafond was calculated, both lateral and medial, indicating the accessible area. RESULTS. The distance between the anterior border of the OCD and the anterior tibial plafond ranged from −3.1 to 9.1 mm on CT and from −3.0 to 8.5 on arthroscopy. The intra- and interobserver reliability of the measurements made on CT-scans were excellent (ICC > 0.99, p < 0.001). Likewise, agreement between CT and arthroscopy was excellent (ICC=0.97; p < 0.001); only one patient showed a difference of more than 2.0 mm. The anterior 47.3 ± 6.8% (95%CI, 45.2–49.3) of the lateral talar dome, and 47.7 ± 7.0% (95%CI, 45.7–49.8) of the medial talar dome was not covered by the tibial plafond. CONCLUSIONS. Computed tomography of the ankle joint in full plantar flexion is an accurate preoperative planning method to determine the arthroscopic approach for treatment of OCDs of the talus. Almost half of the talar dome is directly accessible by anterior ankle arthroscopy

Introduction. Anterior ankle arthroscopy currently provides the best chance of restricting local anatomy damage during ankle surgery. The anterior working area (AWA) of the ankle is restricted by the Dorsalis Pedis Artery (DPA) and the extensor muscle tendons when the procedure is conducted both in dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. During surgery, iatrogenic damage to the DPA can lead to the formation of a pseudoaneurysm, which can be difficult to identify intraoperatively. Our study investigates whether dorsiflexion or plantarflexion provides variability in the movement of the DPA to determine the positions at which anterior ankle arthroscopy provides the greatest anterior working area (AWA) without causing vascular damage. The current study expects the distance of the DPA from the inferior border of the medial malleolus (IBMM) (ankle joint) to be greater on ankle dorsiflexion than in ankle plantarflexion. Materials and Methods. Twelve cadaver ankles embalmed with a mixture of phenol and glycerol, allowing greater motion, were dissected to access the DPA. The ankles, while in a distracted position (in accordance with common surgical practice), were forced into dorsiflexion from a plantarflexion position at 5° intervals. The distance between the IBMM and the DPA was measured at the 5° intervals. Results. The mean amount of ankle flexion achieved was 24.58° (Range = 20–35). All twelve ankles showed positive range of movement (ROM) anteriorly from the IBMM with a mean ROM of 3.58mm (SE = 0.29mm) dorsiflexion. Discussion and Conclusion. Anterior movement of the Dorsalis Pedis Artery during dorsiflexion puts it at a lower risk of iatrogenic damage in a dorsiflexed position compared to plantarflexion. The increased AWA allows the surgeon more manoeuvrable space, possibly allowing the use of larger diameter surgical instruments

Ankle lateral ligament complex injury is common. Traditional ‘Brostrum’ repair, performed either open or arthroscopically, still has a protracted post-operative period. The ‘Internal Brace’ provides a scaffold for the ligament repair and acts as a ‘check-rein’ preventing further injury. 16 patients with ankle instability and injury to the Anterior-Talo-Fibular-Ligament (ATFL) confirmed on MRI were identified. All had completed a period of conservative treatment. All had symptoms of pain in the region of the ATFL and described a feeling of instability. Surgery was performed under general anaesthetic and regional popliteal block. Anterior ankle arthroscopy demonstrated a positive ‘drive through’ in all cases. The ATFL was absent and in the majority replaced by incompetent scar. Scar tissue was removed from the anterior aspect of the ankle allowing visualisation of the fibula and lateral talar neck. Using the Internal Brace system (Arthrex), a 3.5mm swivel-lock with fibre-tape was placed into the fibula. With the ankle in plantar flexion, to allow appropriate tensioning, the distal end of the fibre-tape was secured to the talar neck, at a 45 degree angle, with a 4.75mm biotenodesis screw. The patient was placed into a moon-boot for 7–10 days and mobilised fully weight-bearing. Pre-op score, using EDQ-5, MOXFQ, AOFAS and visual analogue scores, with post-op PROMS were performed. All patients reported improvement in their symptoms at 6 week visit. The majority were back to normal activities at 12 weeks. The few that were not, had missed physiotherapy appointments for various reasons. There were no infections and no implant failures. Arthroscopy allows direct visualisation for accurate placement of the Internal Brace. Post-operatively recovery is expedited due to the stability provided by the ‘Brace’, permitting a more aggressive rehabilitation programme. The greatest potential is arguably for the elite athlete, where an accelerated return to full activity has significant occupational implications

Background: The incidence of nerve injury following ankle arthroscopy has a documented rate of 1% to 24%1-15. The intermediate branch of the superficial peroneal nerve is at most risk with an antero-lateral portal incision 6, 9–12. The superficial peroneal nerve (SPN) is often marked as part of pre-operative planning,1 despite there being little evidence of the effectiveness of this simple measure in reducing nerve injury in ankle arthroscopies. Methods: We reviewed 100 consecutive cases who had an anterior ankle arthroscopy between February 2005 and April 2009. All arthroscopies were performed by a single surgeon (PFR) with pre-operative marking of the SPN. All patients were interviewed by telephone to find out if there had been any temporary or long-term neurological problems following the surgery. Any patients with neurological complications were reviewed in clinic. Patients’ notes were reviewed for any documented complications. Their level of satisfaction and improvement of symptoms were also assessed. Results: We were able to trace 98% of patients. The average follow up was 15.3 months (1 to 39 months). The only neurological deficit in this series was in one case (1%) who developed sensory loss in the distribution of the medial branch of the SPN. 61% of the cases were highly-satisfied/satisfied, 23% were moderately satisfied and 16% were not satisfied with the outcome of their surgery. The reason quoted by the 16% unsatisfied patients was failure to improve their symptoms to their expected level or their need for another operation (41% of the unsatisfied group). Conclusion: The incidence of nerve injury in our series was 1%. This is a dramatic improvement on the majority of published studies 1–15. We believe that marking the SPN prior to surgery is a simple and essential measure in reducing the neurological complications of ankle arthroscopy

Ankle arthroscopy is generally performed through anterior portals and provides good access to the anterior aspect of the ankle joint. However, the structure of the talus and the anatomical confines of the ankle joint limit access to posterior structures via this approach. Developments in the technique of posterior ankle arthroscopy have determined the appropriate site for portals with minimal risk of iatrogenic neurovascular injury. This facilitates treatment of conditions such as flexor hallucis longus (FHL) release, excision of os trigonum for posterior impingement, treatment of retro-calcaneal bursitis and treatment of ankle and subtalar joint pathology. Posterior ankle arthroscopy is a relatively new technique and has recently been adopted by the senior author. This study was performed to explore the benefits and limitations of this procedure and to identify early post operative results. We describe our experience of this technique in treating 9 patients with varied posterior ankle pathology. 2 patients had excision of os trigonum; 2 had FHL release; 1 had both excision of os trigonum and FHL release; 3 had curettage for posterior osteochondral defect (OCD) of the talus; and 1 had resection of Haglund’s deformity. The mean pre-operative AOFAS scores (Ankle-Hindfoot Scale) was 73 (range 47 to 85). The mean post operative AOFAS score at 3 months was 82 (range 75 to 87). 4 patients had recent surgery and await follow up. There were no complications. Two cases exposed the limitations of this procedure: Incomplete resection of (i) a Haglund’s deformity required conversion to an open excision and (ii) a posteromedial OCD lesion will require further anterior ankle arthroscopy due to inadequate exposure. We conclude that for the experienced arthroscopic surgeon this is a safe technique that facilitates treatment of a variety of ankle and hindfoot problems that would otherwise require open procedures

The June 2023 Foot & Ankle Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Nail versus plate fixation for ankle fractures; Outcomes of first ray amputation in diabetic patients; Vascular calcification on plain radiographs of the ankle to diagnose diabetes mellitus; Elderly patients with ankle fracture: the case for early weight-bearing; Active treatment for Frieberg’s disease: does it work?; Survival of ankle arthroplasty; Complications following ankle arthroscopy.

The June 2012 Foot & Ankle Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS); endoscopic treatment of Haglund’s syndrome; whether it is worth removing metalwork; hyaluronic acid injection; thromboembolic events after fracture fixation in the ankle; whether surgeons are as good as CT scans for OCD of the talus; proximal fractures of the fifth metatarsal; nerve blocks for hallux valgus surgery; chronic osteomyelitis in the non-diabetic patient; Charcot arthropathy.