Arthroscopic Anatomical Repair of Anterior Talofibular Ligament for Chronic Lateral Instability of the Ankle: Medium- and Long-Term Functional Follow-Up.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional outcomes of arthroscopic anatomical repair of anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) in the treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) during medium- and long-term follow-up. METHODS: From September 2014 to August 2017, the data of 37 patients (23 males, 14 females; 12 left ankles, 25 right ankles) aged between 21 and 56 years, with an average age of 32.17 ± 6.35 years, presenting with CLAI, was retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 32 injuries were caused by sprain and five injuries were caused by car accidents. The course of the disease lasted for 12 to 60 months, with an average of 26.07 ± 13.29 months. All patients had intact skin around the ankle and no skin lesions. All patients underwent arthroscopic anatomical repair of ATFL, with the fixation of one to two anchors. Pre- and post-operative visual analogue scales (VAS), the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Ankle-Hindfoot Score (AOFAS), and the Karlsson Ankle Functional Score (KAFS) were compared to evaluate the curative effect of the operation. RESULTS: The operation was successful in all 37 cases. The operation time ranged from 40 to 75 min, with an average of 51.25 ± 11.49 min. After surgery, all incisions healed in stage I and there were no complications such as nerve, blood vessel and tendon injury, implant rejection, or suture rejection. Hospital stays of postoperative patients were 3 to 5 days, with an average of 3.77 ± 1.36 days. All patients were followed for 24 to 45 months, averaging 33.16 ± 10.58 months. For three patients with CLAI combined with mild limitation of subjective ankle movement, joint activity was normal after rehabilitation function exercise and proprioceptive function training for 2 months. At the final follow-up, ankle pain had disappeared completely. The ankle varus stress test and ankle anterior drawer test were both negative. Range of joint motion was good. There was no lateral instability of the ankle and all patients returned to normal gait. The mean VAS score decreased to 1.12 ± 0.13, the AOFAS score increased to 92.53 ± 4.87, and the KAFS score increased to 93.36 ± 6.15. All the follow-up indexes were significantly different from those before surgery. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic anatomical repair of ATFL for CLAI is precise, with less surgical trauma and reliable medium- and long-term effect.

[Anterior corpectomy combined with intervertebral decompression and fusion for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical outcomes of anterior corpectomy combined with anterior intervertebral decompression and fusion for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy. METHODS: The clinical data of 28 patients with multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy who underwent surgery from October 2012 to June 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 18 males and 10 females, aged from 45 to 77 years old with an average of (60.11±9.37) years. Three levels were involved in 27 cases, while four levels were involved in 1 case. The preoperative JOA score was 8.89±1.87; the fusion segments angles was (4.87±4.56)°; and the cervical curvature was (11.68±1.25)°. Anterior hybrid decompression and fusion were performed in 28 patients. The fusion segments angles and the cervical curvature were assessed by X-rays at 1, 12 months after operation, respectively. JOA score was used to evaluate the clinical effect. RESULTS: The operative time was 163 min on average (ranged from 120 to 205 min), and intraoperative bleeding was 198 ml on average(ranged from 100 to 300 ml). Hoarseness occurred in 1 case and got recovery at 3 weeks after operation and choke cough occurred in 1 case, and got improvement at 1 week after operation. All the patients were regularly followed for 12-24 months with an average of(18.46±3.20) months. Graft bone obtained fusion at 12 months after operation and the position of internal fixation was good. The fusion segments angles, the cervical curvature and JOA scores were significantly improved at 1, 12 months after operation(P<0.05). The improvement rate of JOA score was(46.46±20.26)% at 12 months after operation, 12 cases got excellent results, 14 good and 2 fair. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior corpectomy combined with anterior intervertebral decompression and fusion is safe and effective and can get satisfactory effects for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

[Comparison of clinical effects between anterior cervical Zero-incision fusion system and traditional nail plate system in the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the short-term efficacy of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion(ACDF) with traditional nail plate system and Zero-profile device in the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy(CSM). METHODS: The clinical data of 45 patients with CSM treated from July 2014 to August 2015 was retrospectively analyzed. There were 23 males and 22 females with an average age of 53.7 years old(range, 32 to 71 years old). The course of disease was 5 months to 2 years. All the patients were treated with ACDF with 24 cases by traditional nail plate system fixation(group A) and 21 cases by Zero-P system fixation(group B). Operation time and intraoperative bleeding were compared between two groups. Neurological function and cervical pain were evaluated by Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores (JOA) and visual analogue scale (VAS), respectively. Cervical curvature(Cobb angle) change and intervertebral fusion were evaluated by X-rays and CT. And associated complications were analyzed in two groups. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up for 12 to 16 months with an average of 14 months. Operation time of group A and B was(87.6±23.2) min and (62.7±17.3) min respectively, and the difference was significant between two groups; and intraoperative bleeding was (80.2±36.8) ml and (78.4±29.6) ml respectively, and the difference was not significant. At final follow-up, JOA and VAS of all patients were obvious improved, but there was no significant difference between two groups. Preoperative Cobb angle in group A and B was (8.7±4.3) ° and (8.6±4.2) ° respectively, and the difference was significant. The Cobb angle at final follow-up was (14.5±6.4) ° and (17.4±8.6) ° respectively, and the difference between two groups was significant. The incidence of dysphagia in group A and B were 29.17% and 9.52% respectively, and there was significant difference between two groups. All intervertebral spaces got fusion at final follow-up. No tracheo-asophageal injury and recurrent laryngeal nerve damage or other complications were found. No fusional migration, subsidence, loosening, breakage, etc. were found. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical comparison of Zero-P interbody fixation system and cervical plate internal fixation for the treatment of cervical spondylosis was quite fair, but Zero-P showed a better therapeutic effect with improvement of life quality.