Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with headless compression screws

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Foot and Ankle Surgery
• Arthrodesis Techniques

Background:

• Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis (TTA) is a surgical procedure to fuse the ankle and subtalar joints.
• Headless compression screws have not been previously reported for TTA.
• This study investigates the suitability of headless compression screws for TTA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical outcomes of TTA using headless compression screws.
• To assess the efficacy of this technique in treating severe ankle and subtalar joint arthropathy.

Main Methods:

• 23 patients with severe ankle and subtalar arthropathy underwent TTA with headless compression screws.
• Surgical approach involved lateral oblique and anteromedial longitudinal incisions.
• Fixation was achieved using two headless compression screws.
• Patients were followed for clinical and radiographic outcomes, including satisfaction scores, AOFAS, and VAS.

Main Results:

• Fusion was successful in all patients with a mean union time of 3.8 months.
• Significant improvement in AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Score (29.6 to 68.5) and VAS pain score (6.95 to 1.56).
• High patient satisfaction reported, with only one case of delayed wound healing.

Conclusions:

• TTA with headless compression screws is an effective, minimally invasive treatment for severe ankle and subtalar arthropathy.
• The technique is associated with a short operation time, high fusion rate, and low complication incidence.
• Good postoperative recovery and patient satisfaction were observed.