Arthroscopy for anterolateral soft tissue impingement of the ankle joint

Anterolateral soft tissue impingement of the ankle joint is a common consequence of ankle sprain due to excessive supination and adduction of the foot, injuries to the tibiofibular syndesmosis and lateral malleolus fractures.

Twenty-two arthroscopic procedures to treat anterolateral soft tissue impingement of the ankle joint were performed at the Independent Public Regional Hospital of Trauma Surgery in Piekary Slaskie between 2006 and 2007. The study group included male patients at the mean age of 34 (17 to 55) years. Medical histories revealed ankle sprain in 13 patients, lateral malleolus fracture in 7, and isolated tibiofibular syndesmotic disruption in 2. The mean time from the injury to the arthroscopic treatment was 5 years (range 2 to 8 years). All patients that underwent arthroscopy were evaluated according to the AOFAS score at baseline (before surgery), and at 3 and 12 months after the treatment. The procedure consisted in the removal of hypertrophic, inflamed and scarred soft tissue from the lateral recess.

The mean preoperative AOFAS score was 75.4 points. Post-operatively, the AOFAS functional scores increased to 90.6 and 92 points in the third and twelfth month after the procedure respectively. One patient showed temporary neurapraxia of the dorsal intermediate nerve and the ramus cutaneus branch of the superficial peroneal nerve.

These results show that arthroscopic treatment of anterolateral soft tissue impingement of the ankle joint produces satisfactory early outcomes.