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Why do ankle arthrodeses fail in patients with rheumatic disease?
H Mäenpää1, M U Lehto, E A Belt
1Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Heinola, Finland. maenpaa.heikki@kolumbus.fi
Foot & Ankle International
|June 29, 2001
Summary
Ankle fusion (arthrodesis) in rheumatic diseases achieved 90% success. Failures often stemmed from surgical technique errors, particularly ignoring hindfoot alignment. Revision surgery is often successful but carries risks.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Rheumatology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Ankle arthrodesis is a common procedure for rheumatic diseases.
- Achieving solid fusion is crucial for patient outcomes.
- Surgical technique and patient factors influence fusion success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the success rate of primary ankle arthrodesis in patients with rheumatic diseases.
- To identify factors contributing to failures in ankle fusion.
- To analyze outcomes of revision ankle arthrodesis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 130 primary ankle arthrodesis cases.
- Internal fixation using the Adams technique.
- Review of failures, including nonunions, infections, and malalignments.
Main Results:
- 90% solid fusion achieved in primary ankle arthrodesis.
- 77% of failures were linked to primary operative technique errors, especially hindfoot malalignment.
- Revision arthrodesis was successful in 77% of failed cases, with complications like stress fractures.
Conclusions:
- Ankle arthrodesis requires meticulous surgical technique, emphasizing hindfoot alignment correction.
- Experienced surgeons are vital for successful ankle fusion in rheumatic patients.
- Addressing alignment, ligamentous, and muscular balance is key to optimal fusion and minimizing complications.