[Our Experience in the Use of BAS-0 Bioactive Glass-ceramic in Orthoses in the Region of the Ankle.]

Extra-articular arthrodesis after Grice is indicated for the treatment of serious pes planovalgus or equinovalgus after the stabilisation of muscular relations in patients with infantile cerebral palsy. The surgical technique itself inspired the authors to use glass-ceramic blocks BAS-0 which were manufactured in co-operation with LASACK. In the period of 1995-1996 they used the glass-ceramic blocks 15times in 14 patients (1 patient operated bilaterally). Thirteen times they used glass-ceramic block in extra-articular arthrodesis, of which in 9 cases in combination with the Young technique, in two cases as part of subtalar arthrodeses. The criterion for the evaluation of the results was the axial alignment between talus and the long axis of the first metatarsus. Excellent and good results were achieved in 9 cases. In these cases the bioactive glass-ceramic block was always encased by bone graft and combined with the surgery after Young. In extraarticular arthrodesis the bones are not in contact. According to authors the glass ceramic block behaves in loading of the neighbouring bone as a "corpus alienum". As a result the ingrowth does not occur. Consequently, the radiograph shows a radioluscent line around the block. Even though the blocks were suitable from the viewpoint of their strength, they did not meet the expectations of authors in this indication. There did not occur a stable incorporation in the surrounding bone. Key words: BAS-0 bioactive glass-ceramics, Grice technique, Young technique, glass ceramic block.