The use of an ankle joint distractor in ankle arthroscopy.

Joint distraction, whether manual or mechanical, is a common practice in orthopedic surgery for knee and shoulder arthroscopy and can be extrapolated to include ankle joint arthroscopy. Manual joint distraction involves manipulation of the ankle joint by gravity or manual traction applied by an assistant. Mechanical distraction can be achieved by joint infiltration with solution or a joint distractor. Although the use of a joint distractor in arthroscopy of the ankle is not a new technique, podiatric literature has rarely reported on its use to allow for easier access and implementation of arthroscopic instruments. The ankle joint distractor allows the surgeon to take advantage of pathologic ligamentous laxity, thus increasing the joint space from an average 3.4 to 7.8 mm.