Arthroscopic modified Brostr?m procedure combined with peroneal tendon debridement in the treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability concomitant with fibular tendinitis / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the efficacies of arthroscopic modified Brostr?m procedure combined with or without peroneal tendon debridement in the treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) concomitant with fibular tendinitis.Methods:A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 31 patients with CLAI concomitant with fibular tendinitis, who were treated in Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University between March 2019 and December 2021. The patients included 17 males and 14 females, aged 16-57 years [(32.8±9.6)years]. The anterior drawer test and talar tilt test were positive in all patients preoperatively. Diagnosis was confirmed by physical examination and MRI, and calcaneofibular ligament rupture was excluded. Eleven patients received arthroscopic modified Brostr?m procedure combined with peroneal tendon debridement (modified Brostr?m procedure+tendon debridement group), and 20 underwent pure arthroscopic modified Brostr?m procedure (modified Brostr?m procedure group). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss and length of hospital stay were documented. The visual analogue score (VAS) in peroneal tendon area was assessed before operation and at postoperative 2, 6 and 12 weeks. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score and foot and ankle outcome score (FAOS) were assessed before operation and at postoperative 6 and 12 weeks. The anterior drawer test was performed at the last follow-up. The foot and ankle ability measure (FAAM) score was assessed before operation and at the last follow-up. Postoperative wound healing and complications were also observed.Results:All the patients were followed up for 4-19 months [(11.3±3.5)months]. The operation time was (66.0±4.2)minutes in the modified Brostr?m procedure+tendon debridement group, which was significantly longer than (61.5±3.4)minutes in the modified Brostr?m procedure group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss or length of hospital stay between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with the preoperation, the value of VAS was significantly lowered, and the values of AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, FAOS and FAAM score were significantly increased at different postoperative timepoints (all P<0.01). No significant differences in the values of VAS, AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, FAOS or FAAM score were seen between the two groups before operation (all P>0.05). The value of VAS was 3.0(3.0, 4.0) points in the modified Brostr?m procedure+tendon debridement group, being markedly different from 4.0(4.0, 4.0)points in the modified Brostr?m procedure group at 2 weeks postoperatively ( P<0.05). The value of VAS was 2.0(1.0, 3.0)points in the modified Brostr?m procedure+tendon debridement group, being markedly different from 3.0(2.3, 3.0)points in the modified Brostr?m procedure group at 6 weeks postoperatively ( P<0.05). At 12 weeks postoperatively, there was no significant difference in the value of VAS between the two groups ( P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the values of AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and FAOS between the two groups at 6 or 12 weeks postoperatively (all P>0.05). The anterior drawer test was negative in all patients at the last follow-up. No significant difference was seen in the value of FAAM score between the two groups at the last follow-up ( P>0.05). All incisions were healed well in the first stage after operation, without the occurrence of joint infection, impaired joint motion, nerve injury or deep vein thrombosis. Conclusions:Arthroscopic modified Brostr?m procedure combined with or without peroneal tendon debridement can both improve the foot function in CLAI patients concomitant with fibular tendinitis. However, the combined treatment allows for early pain relief, without increasing the risk of complications, and can therefore contribute to a faster postoperative recovery.