BACKGROUND: Ankle sprains are common, the majority resolving with functional rehabilitation. Some patients are left with symptoms of functional instability (FI). Ankle arthroscopy in those with symptoms of FI is not well covered in the literature. Our aim was to assess its role in FI of the ankle. METHODS: Retrospective case note analysis of patients with FI following an ankle sprain from 2005 to 2007. All underwent arthroscopy, provided mechanical instability was excluded (EUA and stress X-rays), and there were no signs of soft tissue impingement. These patients had exhausted all options of conservative therapy. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients with a mean age of 38.1: five had true mechanical instability and were excluded. 72 underwent arthroscopy: 67 (93.1%) had significant amounts of scar tissue needing debridement, most commonly in the antero-lateral corner (58.3%). 52 patients improved (72.2%) at a minimum of 6 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our study supports the role of ankle arthroscopy in the treatment of FI following trauma. It should be considered when conservative measures have failed.
BACKGROUND: Ankle sprains are common, the majority resolving with functional rehabilitation. Some patients are left with symptoms of functional instability (FI). Ankle arthroscopy in those with symptoms of FI is not well covered in the literature. Our aim was to assess its role in FI of the ankle. METHODS: Retrospective case note analysis of patients with FI following an ankle sprain from 2005 to 2007. All underwent arthroscopy, provided mechanical instability was excluded (EUA and stress X-rays), and there were no signs of soft tissue impingement. These patients had exhausted all options of conservative therapy. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients with a mean age of 38.1: five had true mechanical instability and were excluded. 72 underwent arthroscopy: 67 (93.1%) had significant amounts of scar tissue needing debridement, most commonly in the antero-lateral corner (58.3%). 52 patients improved (72.2%) at a minimum of 6 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our study supports the role of ankle arthroscopy in the treatment of FI following trauma. It should be considered when conservative measures have failed.
Authors: Frederick Michels; H Pereira; J Calder; G Matricali; M Glazebrook; S Guillo; J Karlsson; Jorge Acevedo; Jorge Batista; Thomas Bauer; James Calder; Dominic Carreira; Woojin Choi; Nuno Corte-Real; Mark Glazebrook; Ali Ghorbani; Eric Giza; Stéphane Guillo; Kenneth Hunt; Jon Karlsson; S W Kong; Jin Woo Lee; Frederick Michels; Andy Molloy; Peter Mangone; Kentaro Matsui; Caio Nery; Saturo Ozeki; Chris Pearce; Hélder Pereira; Anthony Perera; Bas Pijnenburg; Fernando Raduan; James Stone; Masato Takao; Yves Tourné; Jordi Vega Journal: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc Date: 2017-04-25 Impact factor: 4.342