Osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) are a common cause of disability and chronic ankle pain. Many operative treatment strategies have been introduced; however, they have their own disadvantages. Recently lesion repair using autologous cartilage chip has emerged therefore we investigated the efficacy of particulated autologous cartilage transplantation (PACT) in OLT. We retrospectively analyzed 32 consecutive symptomatic patients with OLT who underwent PACT with minimum one-year follow-up. Standard preoperative radiography and MRI were performed for all patients. Follow-up second-look arthroscopy or MRI was performed with patient consent approximately one-year postoperatively. Magnetic resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) score and International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grades were used to evaluate the quality of the regenerated cartilage. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the pain visual analogue scale (VAS), Foot Function Index (FFI), and Foot Ankle Outcome Scale (FAOS).Aims
Methods
The primary objective was to determine the incidence of COVID-19 infection and 30-day mortality in patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery during the global pandemic. Secondary objectives were to determine if there was a change in infection and complication profile with changes introduced in practice. This UK-based multicentre retrospective national audit studied foot and ankle patients who underwent surgery between 13 January and 31 July 2020, examining time periods pre-UK national lockdown, during lockdown (23 March to 11 May 2020), and post-lockdown. All adult patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery in an operating theatre during the study period were included. A total of 43 centres in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland participated. Variables recorded included demographic data, surgical data, comorbidity data, COVID-19 and mortality rates, complications, and infection rates.Aims
Methods
A pilon fracture is a severe ankle joint injury caused by high-energy trauma, typically affecting men of working age. Although relatively uncommon (5% to 7% of all tibial fractures), this injury causes among the worst functional and health outcomes of any skeletal injury, with a high risk of serious complications and long-term disability, and with devastating consequences on patients’ quality of life and financial prospects. Robust evidence to guide treatment is currently lacking. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of two surgical interventions that are most commonly used to treat pilon fractures. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 334 adult patients diagnosed with a closed type C pilon fracture will be conducted. Internal locking plate fixation will be compared with external frame fixation. The primary outcome and endpoint will be the Disability Rating Index (a patient self-reported assessment of physical disability) at 12 months. This will also be measured at baseline, three, six, and 24 months after randomization. Secondary outcomes include the Olerud and Molander Ankle Score (OMAS), the five-level EuroQol five-dimenison score (EQ-5D-5L), complications (including bone healing), resource use, work impact, and patient treatment preference. The acceptability of the treatments and study design to patients and health care professionals will be explored through qualitative methods.Aims
Methods
The hypothesis of this study was that bone peg fixation in the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus would show satisfactory clinical and radiological results, without complications. Between September 2014 and July 2017, 25 patients with symptomatic osteochondritis of the talus and an osteochondral fragment, who were treated using bone peg fixation, were analyzed retrospectively. All were available for complete follow-up at a mean 22 of months (12 to 35). There were 15 males and ten females with a mean age of 19.6 years (11 to 34). The clinical results were evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score preoperatively and at the final follow-up. The radiological results were evaluated using classification described by Hepple et al based on the MRI findings, the location of the lesion, the size of the osteochondral fragment, and the postoperative healing of the lesion.Aims
Methods
This paper documents the epidemiology of adults (aged more than 18 years) with a calcaneal fracture who have been admitted to hospital in England since 2000. Secondary aims were to document whether publication of the United Kingdom Heel Fracture Trial (UK HeFT) influenced the proportion of patients admitted to hospital with a calcaneal fracture who underwent surgical treatment, and to determine whether there has been any recent change in the surgical technique used for these injuries. In England, the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data are recorded annually. Between 2000/01 and 2016/17, the number of adults admitted to an English NHS hospital with a calcaneal fracture and whether they underwent surgical treatment was determined.Aims
Patients and Methods
Arthroscopically controlled fracture reduction in combination
with percutaneous screw fixation may be an alternative approach
to open surgery to treat talar neck fractures. The purpose of this
study was thus to present preliminary results on arthroscopically
reduced talar neck fractures. A total of seven consecutive patients (four women and three men,
mean age 39 years (19 to 61)) underwent attempted surgical treatment
of a closed Hawkins type II talar neck fracture using arthroscopically
assisted reduction and percutaneous screw fixation. Functional and
radiological outcome were assessed using plain radiographs, as well
as weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing CT scans as tolerated.
Patient satisfaction and pain sensation were also recorded.Aims
Patients and Methods
Identifying predictors of compartment syndrome in the foot after
a fracture of the calcaneus may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment.
The aim of our study was to identify any such predictors. We retrospectively reviewed 303 patients (313 fractures) with
a fracture of the calcaneus who presented to us between October
2008 and September 2016. The presence of compartment syndrome and
potential predictors were identified by reviewing their medical
records. Potential predictors included age, gender, concomitant
foot injury, mechanism of injury, fracture classification, time
from injury to admission, underlying illness, use of anticoagulant/antiplatelet
agents, smoking status and occupation. Associations with predictors
were analyzed using logistic regression analysis.Aims
Patients and Methods
Fractures of the navicular can occur in isolation but, owing
to the intimate anatomical and biomechanical relationships, are
often associated with other injuries to the neighbouring bones and
joints in the foot. As a result, they can lead to long-term morbidity
and poor function. Our aim in this study was to identify patterns
of injury in a new classification system of traumatic fractures
of the navicular, with consideration being given to the commonly associated
injuries to the midfoot. We undertook a retrospective review of 285 consecutive patients
presenting over an eight- year period with a fracture of the navicular.
Five common patterns of injury were identified and classified according
to the radiological features. Type 1 fractures are dorsal avulsion
injuries related to the capsule of the talonavicular joint. Type
2 fractures are isolated avulsion injuries to the tuberosity of
the navicular. Type 3 fractures are a variant of tarsometatarsal
fracture/dislocations creating instability of the medial ray. Type
4 fractures involve the body of the navicular with no associated
injury to the lateral column and type 5 fractures occur in conjunction
with disruption of the midtarsal joint with crushing of the medial
or lateral, or both, columns of the foot.Aims
Patients and Methods
The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic
outcomes of total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) in patients with pre-operatively
moderate and severe arthritic varus ankles to those achieved for
patients with neutral ankles. A total of 105 patients (105 ankles), matched for age, gender,
body mass index, and follow-up duration, were divided into three
groups by pre-operative coronal plane tibiotalar angle; neutral
(<
5°), moderate (5° to 15°) and severe (>
15°) varus deformity.
American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot
score, a visual analogue scale (VAS), and Short Form (SF)-36 score
were used to compare the clinical outcomes after a mean follow-up period
of 51 months (24 to 147).Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical stability and clinical outcome of external fixator combined with limited internal fixation (EFLIF) and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in treating Sanders type 2 calcaneal fractures. Two types of fixation systems were selected for finite element analysis and a dual cohort study. Two fixation systems were simulated to fix the fracture in a finite element model. The relative displacement and stress distribution were analysed and compared. A total of 71 consecutive patients with closed Sanders type 2 calcaneal fractures were enrolled and divided into two groups according to the treatment to which they chose: the EFLIF group and the ORIF group. The radiological and clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared.Objectives
Methods
A failed total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is often associated with
much bone loss. As an alternative to arthrodesis, the surgeon may
consider a custom-made talar component to compensate for the bone
loss. Our aim in this study was to assess the functional and radiological
outcome after the use of such a component at mid- to long-term follow-up. A total of 12 patients (five women and seven men, mean age 53
years; 36 to77) with a failed TAA and a large talar defect underwent
a revision procedure using a custom-made talar component. The design
of the custom-made components was based on CT scans and standard
radiographs, when compared with the contralateral ankle. After the
anterior talocalcaneal joint was fused, the talar component was
introduced and fixed to the body of the calcaneum.Aims
Patients and Methods
The last decade has seen a considerable increase
in the use of in total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) to treat patients
with end-stage arthritis of the ankle. However, the longevity of
the implants is still far from that of total knee and hip arthroplasties. The aim of this review is to outline a diagnostic and treatment
algorithm for the painful TAA to be used when considering revision
surgery. Cite this article:
Sporting injuries around the ankle vary from
simple sprains that will resolve spontaneously within a few days
to severe injuries which may never fully recover and may threaten
the career of a professional athlete. Some of these injuries can
be easily overlooked altogether or misdiagnosed with potentially
devastating effects on future performance. In this review article,
we cover some of the common and important sporting injuries involving
the ankle including updates on their management and outcomes. Cite this article:
Involvement of the posterior malleolus in fractures of the ankle
probably adversely affects the functional outcome and may be associated
with the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Anatomical
reduction is a predictor of a successful outcome. The purpose of this study was to describe the technique and short-term
outcome of patients with trimalleolar fractures, who were treated
surgically using a posterolateral approach in our hospital between
2010 and 2014. The study involved 52 patients. Their mean age was 49 years (22
to 79). There were 41 (79%) AO 44B-type and 11 (21%) 44C-type fractures.
The mean size of the posterior fragment was 27% (10% to 52%) of
the tibiotalar joint surface.Aims
Patients and Methods
The aim of this study was to report a single surgeon series of
consecutive patients with moderate hallux valgus managed with a
percutaneous extra-articular reverse-L chevron (PERC) osteotomy. A total of 38 patients underwent 45 procedures. There were 35
women and three men. The mean age of the patients was 48 years (17
to 69). An additional percutaneous Akin osteotomy was performed
in 37 feet and percutaneous lateral capsular release was performed
in 22 feet. Clinical and radiological assessments included the type
of forefoot, range of movement, the American Orthopedic Foot and
Ankle (AOFAS) score, a subjective rating and radiological parameters. The mean follow-up was 59.1 months (45.9 to 75.2). No patients
were lost to follow-up.Aims
Patients and Methods
Achieving arthrodesis of the ankle can be difficult
in the presence of infection, deformity, poor soft tissues and bone loss.
We present a series of 48 patients with complex ankle pathology,
treated with the Ilizarov technique. Infection was present in 30
patients and 30 had significant deformity before surgery. Outcome
was assessed clinically and with patient-reported outcome measures
(Modified American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (MAOFAS) scale and
the Short-Form (SF-36)). Arthrodesis was achieved in 40 patients with the Ilizarov technique
alone and in six further patients with additional surgery. Infection
was eradicated in all patients at a mean follow-up of 46.6 months
(13 to 162). Successful arthrodesis was less likely in those with
comorbidities and in tibiocalcaneal fusion compared with tibiotalar
fusion. These patients had poor general health scores compared with the
normal population before surgery. The mean MAOFAS score improved
significantly from 24.3 (0 to 90) pre-operatively to 56.2 (30 to
90) post-operatively, but there was only a modest improvement in
general health; the mean SF-36 improved from 44.8 (19 to 66) to
50.1 (21 to 76). There was a major benefit in terms of pain relief. Arthrodesis using the Ilizarov technique is an effective treatment
for complex ankle pathology, with good clinical outcomes and eradication
of infection. However, even after successful arthrodesis general
health scores remain limited. Cite this article:
Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a
rare benign disease of the synovium of joints and tendon sheaths, which
may be locally aggressive. We present 18 patients with diffuse-type
PVNS of the foot and ankle followed for a mean of 5.1 years (2 to
11.8). There were seven men and 11 women, with a mean age of 42
years (18 to 73). A total of 13 patients underwent open or arthroscopic
synovectomy, without post-operative radiotherapy. One had surgery
at the referring unit before presentation with residual tibiotalar
PVNS. The four patients who were managed non-operatively remain
symptomatically controlled and under clinical and radiological surveillance.
At final follow-up the mean Musculoskeletal Tumour Society score
was 93.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 85 to 100), the mean Toronto
Extremity Salvage Score was 92 (95% CI 82 to 100) and the mean American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons foot and ankle score was 89 (95%
CI 79 to 100). The lesion in the patient with residual PVNS resolved radiologically
without further intervention six years after surgery. Targeted synovectomy
without adjuvant radiotherapy can result in excellent outcomes,
without recurrence. Asymptomatic patients can be successfully managed
non-operatively. This is the first series to report clinical outcome
scores for patients with diffuse-type PVNS of the foot and ankle. Cite this article:
It has been suggested that a supramalleolar osteotomy can return the load distribution in the ankle joint to normal. However, due to the lack of biomechanical data, this supposition remains empirical. The purpose of this biomechanical study was to determine the effect of simulated supramalleolar varus and valgus alignment on the tibiotalar joint pressure, in order to investigate its relationship to the development of osteoarthritis. We also wished to establish the rationale behind corrective osteotomy of the distal tibia. We studied 17 cadaveric lower legs and quantified the changes in pressure and force transfer across the tibiotalar joint for various degrees of varus and valgus deformity in the supramalleolar area. We assumed that a supramalleolar osteotomy which created a varus deformity of the ankle would result in medial overload of the tibiotalar joint. Similarly, we thought that creating a supramalleolar valgus deformity would cause a shift in contact towards the lateral side of the tibiotalar joint. The opposite was observed. The restricting role of the fibula was revealed by carrying out an osteotomy directly above the syndesmosis. In end-stage ankle osteoarthritis with either a valgus or varus deformity, the role of the fibula should be appreciated and its effect addressed where appropriate.
We report the clinical and radiological outcome of total ankle replacement performed in conjunction with hindfoot fusion or in isolation. Between May 2003 and June 2008, 60 ankles were treated with total ankle replacement with either subtalar or triple fusion, and the results were compared with a control group of 288 ankles treated with total ankle replacement alone. After the mean follow-up of 39.5 months (12 to 73), the ankles with hindfoot fusion showed significant improvement in the mean visual analogue score for pain (p <
0.001), the mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score (p <
0.001), and the mean of a modified version of this score (p <
0.001). The mean visual analogue pain score (p = 0.304) and mean modified American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score (p = 0.119) were not significantly different between the hindfoot fusion and the control groups. However, the hindfoot fusion group had a significantly lower mean range of movement (p = 0.009) and a higher rate of posterior focal osteolysis (p = 0.04). Both groups showed various complications (p = 0.131) and failure occurring at a similar rate (p = 0.685). Subtalar or triple fusion is feasible and has minimal adverse effects on ankles treated with total ankle replacement up to midterm follow-up. The clinical outcome of total ankle replacement when combined with hindfoot fusion is comparable to that of ankle replacement alone. Thus, hindfoot fusion should be performed in conjunction with total ankle replacement when indicated.
Open reduction and internal fixation of high-energy pilon fractures are often associated with serious complications. Various methods have been used to treat these injuries, with variable results. A total of 17 consecutive patients with pilon fractures of AO/OTA type 43-B3 (n = 1), type C2 (n = 12) and type C3 (n = 4) were treated by indirect reduction by capsuloligamentotaxis and stabilisation using an ankle-spanning Ilizarov fixator. The calcaneal ring was removed at a mean of 3.7 weeks (3 to 6). A total of 16 patients were available for follow-up at a mean of 29 months (23 to 43). The mean time to healing was 15.8 weeks (13 to 23). Nine patients had pin-track infections but none had deep infection or osteomyelitis. Four patients (25%) had malunion. Fair, good or excellent ankle scores were found in 14 patients. External fixation with a ring fixator achieves stable reduction of the fractured fragments without additional trauma to soft tissues. With minimum complications and good healing results, the Ilizarov apparatus is particularly useful for high-energy pilon fractures.
