Infected total ankle arthroplasty: risk factors and treatment options

Infections in total ankle arthroplasty are a serious complication, about which there is little information in the current literature.

This is a retrospective review of infected total ankle arthroplasty at one institution from 1995 to 2012. Risk factors were compared between patients with infected total ankle arthroplasty and age- and sex-matched patients who did not have infection (control patients) within the same time period.

966 patients with total ankle arthroplasty were reviewed, and 29 cases of infected total ankle arthroplasty (3.2%) were identified. The incidence of infection in primary ankle arthroplasty was 2.4% and in revision arthroplasty was 4%. Risk factors for infection in our cohort included diabetes, prior ankle surgery, and wound healing problems more than 14 days postoperatively. No significant difference was found between groups with respect to risk factors including smoking, body mass index, and operative time. At latest follow-up, none of the patients had signs of persistent infection. Operative intervention of infected total ankle arthroplasty resulted in limb salvage in 79% of cases (a 21% amputation rate). At final follow-up, 65.5% of cases were infection-free with retained arthroplasty. This was achieved by irrigation and debridement alone, 1-stage fusion, and most often 2-stage revision. The final outcome was fusion in 3 of 29 cases (10.3%).

Given the morbidity of infected ankle arthroplasty, careful consideration should be made about performing arthroplasty in patients with multiple prior surgeries and comorbidities that predispose to wound-healing difficulties.

Level III, retrospective comparative study.