Of 111 primary ankle ligament arthroplasties (modified Evans procedure) performed between 1983 and 1994, we were able to identify 89 patients (94 ankles) for follow-up. All were under 50 years of age. Two had died and one refused to co-operate; 86 patients (91 ankles) were therefore reviewed, 25 by telephone and the remainder by clinical examination with all but three also undergoing radiological review. Of the 91 ankles, 70 had no or very mild pain and 72 had no or rare episodes of instability and when considered together only 59 (65%) had no or mild pain and minimal instability. The results were supported by the Karlsson grading system. Clinical examination showed that 17 of the 66 ankles examined had increased inversion, while 21 had some limitation of inversion. Early degenerative changes were seen in 11 ankles, although only four had subtalar changes. These results show that this procedure does not give universally good clinical results. Patient satisfaction, however, was high with 97.7% being willing to undergo the same procedure if their other ankle became similarly affected

We treated 52 patients with impingement of the anterolateral soft tissues of the ankle by arthroscopic debridement. All had a history of single or multiple inversion injuries, without instability. One half had negative stress radiographs (stable group), while the others were positive (unstable group). Their mean age was 31 years and there were 35 men and 17 women. The results were assessed at a mean follow-up of 30 months. Three patients (6%) had a fair result, while 49 (94%) had an excellent or good outcome. No difference was found in the final results between the two groups (p > 0.05). We conclude that anterolateral impingement of the ankle should be considered in a patient with chronic anterolateral pain after an injury, regardless of the stability of the ankle

We investigated a new method of stress radiography of the subtalar joints using forced maximum dorsiflexion of the ankle in a supinated position. We measured transposition of the lateral process of the talus at the posterior subtalar joint in lateral views of normal amputated ankles, normal control subjects and patients with recurrent ankle sprains. The mean displacement in the control groups (n = 36) was 29.9%, significantly different from the 43.0% in patients with recurrent ankle sprains (n = 24). In the amputated specimens with intact ligaments movement was similar to that in normal subjects. Section of the calcaneofibular and the interosseous ligaments allowed much the same movement as in patients with recurrent ankle sprains. The new method is simple and useful for detecting subtalar instability

We have described a method of anatomical reconstruction of the lateral ligaments of the ankles with instability using allogeneic fascia lata dried with solvents and sterilised with gamma irradiation. Twenty ankles of 20 patients were assessed objectively and subjectively after a mean follow-up of 4.2 years (3.1 to 10). The result was excellent in 12 (60%), good in seven (35%) and fair in one (5%); none had a poor result. Stress radiography showed that the angle of talar tilt improved from 12.3 ± 4.2° (mean ±. sd. ) to 5.9 ± 3.0° and that the anterior drawer distance decreased from 9.2 ± 3.9 mm to 4.4 ± 2.5 mm. Neither infection nor limitation of movement occurred after operation. Fascia lata allografts provide a good alternative to autogenous grafts such as the peroneus brevis tendon

The use of autograft bone is the best option when undertaking a procedure that requires bone graft because it is osteogenic, osteoconductive and osseo-inductive. Pain, morbidity and complications associated with harvesting iliac or non-iliac sites occur in between 6% and 30% of cases. An alternative source of graft with possibly a lower morbidity is the intramedullary canal. In this study, 28 patients undergoing 30 arthrodesis procedures on the hindfoot had a mean of 48 cm³ (43 to 50) of bone harvested locally from the hindfoot or the tibial shaft by antegrade or retrograde reaming. No patient sustained a fracture of the calcaneum, talus or tibia. There was no morbidity except for one complication when the reamer breached the medial tibial cortex. This healed uneventfully.

This method of using the reamer–irrigator–aspirator system is an extension of the standard technique of intramedullary reaming of the lower limb: it produces good-quality bone graft with viable growth factors consistent with that of the iliac crest, and donor site morbidity is low. This is an efficient method of obtaining autologous bone for use in arthrodesis of the ankle or hindfoot.

We describe the results of arthrodesis for the treatment of recurrent acute neuropathic bone disease in 24 feet and of chronic disease with deformity in 91 feet, undertaken between January 1984 and December 2003. All were due to leprosy.

Correction of the deformity was achieved in 80 of 106 feet (76%) and fusion in 97 of 110 feet (88%). In the 24 feet in which recurrent neuropathic bone disease was the reason for surgery, 17 (71%) obtained stability while in seven (29%) symptoms recurred postoperatively. Complications were experienced following 58 of the 110 operations (53%). In patients presenting primarily with deformity with a minimum follow-up of two years (79 feet), there was a reduced frequency of ulceration in 40 (51%). Normal footwear could be worn by 32 patients (40%) after surgery, while 40 (51%) required a moulded insole. Arthrodesis of the ankle in the neuropathic foot due to leprosy has a good overall rate of success although the rate of complications is high.

Advances in the design of the components for total ankle replacement have led to a resurgence of interest in this procedure.

Between January 1999 and December 2004, 16 patients with a failed total ankle replacement were referred to our unit. In the presence of infection, a two-stage salvage procedure was planned. The first involved the removal of the components and the insertion of a cement spacer. Definitive treatment options included hindfoot fusion with a circular frame or amputation. When there was no infection, a one-stage salvage procedure was planned. Options included hindfoot fusion with an intramedullary nail or revision total ankle replacement. When there was suspicion of infection, a percutaneous biopsy was performed. The patients were followed up for a minimum of 12 months.

Of the 16 patients, 14 had aseptic loosening, five of whom underwent a revision total ankle replacement and nine a hindfoot fusion. Of the two with infection, one underwent fusion and the other a below-knee amputation. There were no cases of wound breakdown, nonunion or malunion.

Management of the failed total ankle replacement should be performed by experienced surgeons and ideally in units where multidisciplinary support is available. Currently, a hindfoot fusion appears to be preferable to a revision total ankle replacement.

In this retrospective study we have assessed the results of low tibial valgus osteotomy for varus-type osteoarthritis of the ankle and its indications.

We performed an opening wedge osteotomy in 25 women (26 ankles). The mean follow-up was for eight years and three months (2 years 3 months to 17 years 11 months).

Of the 26 ankles, 19 showed excellent or good clinical results. Their mean scores for pain, walking, and activities of daily living were significantly improved but there was no change in the range of movement. In the ankles which were classified radiologically as stage 2 according to our own grading system, with narrowing of the medial joint space, and in 11 as stage 3a, with obliteration of the joint space at the medial malleolus only, the joint space recovered. In contrast, such recovery was seen in only two of 12 ankles classified as stage 3b, with obliteration of the joint space advancing to the upper surface of the dome of the talus. Low tibial osteotomy is indicated for varus-type osteoarthritis of stage 2 or stage 3a.

Fragility fractures of the ankle occur mainly in elderly osteoporotic women. They are inherently unstable and difficult to manage. There is a high incidence of complications with both non-operative and operative treatment.

We treated 12 such fractures by closed reduction and stabilisation using a retrograde calcaneotalotibial expandable nail. The mean age of patients was 84 years (75 to 95). All were women and were able to walk fully weight-bearing after surgery. There were no wound complications. One patient died from a myocardial infarction 24 days after surgery. The 11 other patients were followed up for a mean of 67 weeks (39 to 104).

All the fractures maintained satisfactory alignment and healed without delay. Six patients refused removal of the nail after union of the fracture. The functional rating using the scale of Olerud and Molander gave a mean score at follow-up of 61, compared with a pre-injury value of 70.

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) has been used most commonly as a treatment for cartilage defects in the knee and there are few studies of its use in other joints. We describe ten patients with an osteochondral lesion of the talus who underwent ACI using cartilage taken from the knee and were prospectively reviewed with a mean follow-up of 23 months. In nine patients the satisfaction score was ‘pleased’ or ‘extremely pleased’, which was sustained at four years. The mean Mazur ankle score increased by 23 points at a mean follow-up of 23 months. The Lysholm knee score returned to the pre-operative level at one year in three patients, with the remaining seven showing a reduction of 15% at 12 months, suggesting donor-site morbidity. Nine patients underwent arthroscopic examination at one year and all were shown to have filled defects and stable cartilage. Biopsies taken from graft sites showed mostly fibrocartilage with some hyaline cartilage. The short-term results of ACI for osteochondral lesions of the talus are good despite some morbidity at the donor site.

Diabetes mellitus is considered an indicator of poor prognosis for acute ankle fractures, but this risk may be specific to an identifiable subpopulation. We retrospectively reviewed 42 patients with both diabetes mellitus and an acute, closed, rotational ankle fracture. Patients were individually matched to controls by age, gender, fracture type, and surgical vs non-surgical treatment. Outcomes were major complications during the first six months of treatment. We contrasted secondarily 21 diabetic patients with and 21 without diabetic comorbidities. Diabetic patients and controls did not differ significantly in total complication rates. More diabetic patients required long-term bracing. Diabetic patients without comorbidities had complication rates equal to their controls. Diabetic patients with comorbidities had complications at a higher rate (ten patients; 47%) than matched controls (three patients; 14%, p = 0.034). A history of Charcot neuroarthropathy led to the highest rates of complication. An increased risk of complications in diabetic patients with closed rotational fractures of the ankle are specific to a subpopulation with identifiable related comorbidities.