Image-Guided Intervention of the Postoperative Foot and Ankle After Ligament and Tendon Repair

This review article describes the potential range of image-guided interventional procedures performed following foot and ankle ligament and/or tendon repair. Diagnosis of the cause of recurrent or persistent pain/symptoms in this postoperative group is challenging and requires a coordinated clinical and radiologic assessment. This directs appropriate treatment including image-guided intervention that may be used both as a diagnostic tool and a therapeutic option. There is a paucity of high-quality studies on the role of image-guided intervention in the foot and ankle after ligament/tendon repair. Many of the procedures used in this group are extrapolated from other areas of the body or the preoperative scenario. We review the role of imaging to identify the cause of postsurgical symptoms and to direct appropriate image-guided intervention. The available injectables and their roles are discussed. Specific surgical procedures are described including lateral ligament repair, Achilles repair, posterior tibialis tendon surgery, and peroneal tendon surgery.