Evaluation of the effectiveness of ankle arthrodesis options

Introduction Treatment methods for late stages of ankle osteoarthritis are varied, but the issue of assessing the long-term results of various fixation methods has not yet been studied, and this issue is of great importance in clinical practice.

Purpose To compare the effectiveness of the fixation methods commonly used for ankle arthrodesis in patients with advanced ankle osteoarthritis.

Materials and methods Eighty-two patients with advanced ankle osteoarthritis were treated with ankle fusion between 2019 and 2023 at three major medical institutions. All patients underwent 12-month follow-ups. The patients were divided into four groups depending on the method of surgical fixation of bone fragments.

Results Most patients showed a significant improvement in the function and a decrease in pain intensity after the arthrodesis operation. The comparison of the effectiveness of various surgical fixation methods found that external apparatus screw fixation is characterized by lower blood loss and a relatively short duration of the operation. Plate and screw fixation resulted in higher AOFAS and VAS scores at 3 months postoperatively. However, by the 12th month after surgery, the differences in these two indicators were insignificant.

Discussion Despite the various complications that occur in ankle arthrodesis, it remains effective for  most patients. Among them, the Ilizarov apparatus is more suitable for patients with compromised conditions in the surgical area. Each method of surgical fixation has its own advantages and shortcomings, but the difference in long-term effectiveness is small.

Conclusion Ankle arthrodesis is an effective treatment for advanced ankle osteoarthritis. The choice of surgical method is still subject to the principle of individual approach.

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