General Considerations About Foot and Ankle Arthrodesis. Any Way to Improve Our Results?

Nonunion and adjacent joint osteoarthritis (OA) are known complications after a fusion procedure, and foot and ankle surgeons are commonly exposed to such disabling complications. Determining who is at risk of developing nonunion is essential to reducing nonunion rates and improving patient outcomes. Several evidenced-based modifiable risk factors related to adverse outcomes after foot and ankle arthrodesis have been identified. Patient-related risk factors that can be improved before surgery include smoking cessation, good diabetic control (HbAc1 <7%) and vitamin D supplementation. Intraoperatively, using less invasive techniques, avoiding joint preparation with power tools, using bone grafts or orthobiologics in more complex cases, high-risk patients, nonunion revision surgeries, and filling in bone voids at the arthrodesis site should be considered. Postoperatively, pain management with NSAIDs should be limited to a short period (<2 weeks) and avoided in high-risk patients. Furthermore, early postoperative weight-bearing has shown to be beneficial, and it does not seem to increase postoperative complications. The incidence of surrounding joint OA after foot and ankle fusion seems to increase progressively with time. Owing to its progression and high probability of being symptomatic, patients must be informed consequently, as they may require additional joint fusions, resulting in further loss of ankle/foot motion. In patients with symptomatic adjacent joint OA and unsatisfactory results after an ankle arthrodesis, conversion to total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) has become a potential option in managing these complex and challenging situations.

End-stage ankle osteoarthritis: arthroplasty offers better quality of life than arthrodesis with similar complication and re-operation rates-an updated meta-analysis of comparative studies.

PURPOSE: Ankle arthrodesis (AA) has traditionally been the surgical standard for patients with an end-stage ankle osteoarthritis, with total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) recently becoming an alternative. The aim of this study was to update evidence in terms of functional outcomes, complications, and quality of life between AA and TAA by analyzing comparative studies. METHODS: PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Central databases were used to search keywords. A total of 21 studies entered our qualitative and quantitative analysis. Demographics, functional outcomes, and complications were extracted. Random and fixed-effect models were used for the meta-analysis of standardized mean differences (SMDs) and odds ratios (ORs). RESULTS: A total of 18,448 patients were identified, with a mean age of 57.3 ± 11.3 years. TAA showed significantly greater post-operative range of motion (SMD - 0.883, 95% CI - 1.175 to - 0.590; I2 < 0.001) and Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale scores (SMD - 1.648, 95% CI - 3.177 to - 0.118; I2 = 97.67), but no differences in other patient-reported outcome scores were found. Patients undergoing TAA showed higher post-operative SF-36 (SMD - 0.960, 95% CI - 1.584 to - 0.336; I2 = 68.77). The total complication rate was similar between the two procedures (OR 0.936, 95% CI 0.826 to 1.060; I2 = 87.44), including the incidence of re-operations (OR 1.720, 95% CI 0.892 to 3.316; I2 = 77.65). CONCLUSION: While TAA and AA showed no differences in most post-operative functional outcomes, our review demonstrates that patients undergoing TAA show better health-related quality of life than AA. We found no evidence to suggest that TAA carries a higher risk of complications and re-operations compared to AA.

Percutaneous Kirschner Wire Repair of Failed Digital Arthrodesis Using Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy A Case Report.

A case of a repaired failed toe arthrodesis is presented. A novel and previously unreported approach using a percutaneously placed Kirschner wire coupled with a pulsed electromagnetic field achieved healing of a painful pseudoarthrosis at 54 days. With a percutaneous technique, open debridement of the failed arthrodesis site can be avoided.

Chronic regional pain syndrome after subtalar arthrodesis is not prevented by early hyperbaric oxygen.

Subtalar arthrodesis was performed on a 48-year-old, non-insulin-dependent diabetic with a history of chronic ankle instability and lateral ankle pain. In the early post-operative period he presented as an emergency with an infection at the operative site. This was treated with 2 returns to the operating theatre for washout and debridement. His wounds were left open and at 3 weeks after emergency admission he was referred for adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy to aid healing by secondary intention. He received a total of 19 hyperbaric sessions, at a pressure of 2.2 ATA, one treatment per day for 5 days a week. Shortly after commencing HBO therapy his ankle became increasingly painful, despite the introduction of analgesia. By 7 weeks after emergency admission his wounds had virtually healed but hyperesthesia persisted over the dorsum of the foot. A computerized tomography scan at 5 1/2 months post-operatively showed satisfactory joint fusion and revealed no evidence of infection. Symptoms and signs at this time were compatible with a diagnosis of chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS). There is published evidence to suggest that HBO therapy may be a useful modality in the treatment of established CRPS. Here, we seek to publicize a case in which early treatment with HBO for another indication did not prevent the simultaneous development of CRPS Type 1.

Bioadjuvants for complex ankle and hindfoot reconstruction.

Many reconstructive options exist for symptomatic hindfoot and ankle problems. Hindfoot and tibiotalar fusions are reliable procedures with consistent results. Unfortunately, many potential complications have been cited throughout the literature. Although the most important aspect in any fusion surgery is meticulous technique, advances in technology, including PRP, bone stimulators, and BMPs seem to be useful additions in the quest to achieve solid fusions with decreased complications.

Treatment of nonunited hindfoot fusions.

The management of delayed union and nonunion is complex and is contingent on appropriate diagnosis and classification. Detection techniques and treatment options, including cast immobilization, electrical stimulation, surgical repair, or a combination of regimens, are discussed in this article.