RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical effect of repairing anterior talofibular ligament with knot-free anchors under total ankle arthroscopy in treating chronic lateral ankle instability. METHODS: From April 2018 to August 2021, 24 patients with chronic lateral ankle instability were treated with knot-free anchors under total ankle arthroscopy to repair anterior talofibular ligament, including 16 males and 8 females, aged from 22 to 42 years old with an average of(28.6±5.8) years old;the time from injury to opertaion ranged from 6 to 10 months with an average of(7.7±1.3) months. Preoperative and postoperative American Orhopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, visual analogue scale (VAS), talar tilt, anterior talar translation(ATT) were recorded and compared. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 10 to 12 months with an average of (10.2±1.14) months. Incision were healed at stageâ , and no infection, nerve injury and lateral ankle instability occurred. AOFAS score improved from(52.79±8.96) before opertaion to (93.00± 4.01) at 6 months after operation, 23 patients got excellent result and 1 good;VAS decreased from (5.50±0.98) before opertaion to (1.04±0.80) at 6 months after operation(P<0.05);talar tilt decreased from(9.16±2.09)° to (3.10±1.72)° at 3 months after operation(P<0.05);ATT decreased from(8.80±2.55) mm to (2.98±1.97) mm at 3 months after operation(P<0.05). Twenty-four patients drawer test and varus-valgus rotation wer negative. CONCLUSION: Repairing anterior talofibular ligament with knot-free anchors under total ankle arthroscopy for the treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability has advantages of less trauma, less complications safe and reliable, and good recovery of ankle joint function.