Mark E. Easley, MD
Contemporary recommendations for primary and revision ankle arthrodesis favor internal compression techniques involving the use of screw and/or plate fixation. While tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with internal fixation may be a suitable method of salvage for the treatment of a failed tibiotalar arthrodesis in selected patients, ring external fixation has been reported as an alternative. In the author’s experience, the advantages of ring external fixation over internal fixation for revision ankle arthrodesis include the avoidance of placing implants directly across areas of previous infection and obviating the need to depend on potentially poor bone quality for fixation. Moreover, an increase in tibiotalar compression is feasible at the time of follow-up visits; optimal compression is not essential at the time of revision arthrodesis. The authors conclude revision tibiotalar arthrodesis leads to satisfactory limb salvage in a majority of patients. Ring external fixation may facilitate clinically acceptable limb salvage in complex cases when methods of internal fixation are limited or even contraindicated.
See the Corresponding JBJS Article:
- Mark E. Easley, MD, Harvey E. Montijo, BHS, Joseph B. Wilson, MD, Robert D. Fitch, MD, James A. NunleyII, MD
- Revision Tibiotalar Arthrodesis
J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., Jun 2008 [Article]
Specifications
- Total Run Time: 39:24 minutes
- Catalog Number: 1034
- VJO Publication Date: March, 2011