Arthroscopic treatment of ankle multiligamentous injuries provides similar clinical outcomes to the treatment of isolated lateral ligament injury at the 2‐year follow‐up

Review written by Dr Chris Bleakley info

Key Points

  1. Patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) can have either isolated lateral instability, or a multi-ligamentous (rotational) instability.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Lateral ankle ligament sprains can frequently lead to chronic ankle instability (CAI). Patients who are untreated may be at risk of developing a multi-ligament injury that results in rotational instability at the ankle joint. The underpinning aetiology is largely biomechanical, whereby an initial lateral instability leads to excessive talar internal rotation, which subsequently overloads the deltoid ligament, and rotational instability ensues. A multi-directional instability is more likely to lead to aberrant or excessive loading at the talocrural joint, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis.

In this study, Guelfi et al. assess the prevalence of isolated (lateral) vs multi-ligament (rotational) instability in a cohort of patients presenting with CAI and examine the extent to which this (isolated vs rotational instability) affects their clinical outcomes after arthroscopic anatomical repair.

Lateral ankle ligament sprains can frequently lead to chronic ankle instability.
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These findings support the utilization of arthroscopic techniques as a viable option for treating ankle instability, irrespective of the specific ligaments involved.

METHODS

A total of 108 patients (median age 26.5, range 14 to 77) who had CAI for at least six months were recruited. All patients underwent arthroscopic treatment, where they were initially examined and diagnosed with either isolated (lateral) or multi-ligament

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