Recognition of Failure Modes of Lateral Ankle Ligament Reconstruction: Revision and Salvage Options

Challenges and complications in arthroscopic ankle ligament repair: Current concepts

Arthroscopic ligament repair has gained popularity as a minimally invasive alternative for addressing ankle instability, due to its minimally invasive nature, which offers significant advantages over traditional open procedures. These benefits include smaller incisions, reduced soft tissue dissection, and the ability to concurrently manage intra-articular pathology, contributing to its popularity among surgeons and patients alike. Despite these advantages, the procedure presents a range of technical challenges and potential complications that can impact patient outcomes. Persistent instability, improper tensioning, and issues related to suture anchors are some of the primary concerns. Understanding these complexities and employing targeted strategies to mitigate them is essential for improving patient outcomes. Continued research and refinement of surgical techniques will play a key role in enhancing the safety and efficacy of this procedure.

Postoperative Imaging of the Ankle: Ligament and Tendon Reconstruction

Tendon and ligament disorders are common indications for ankle surgery. Numerous surgeries and related modifications, ranging from simple repairs and debridement to complex reconstructions with tendon transfers or graft, are available. Knowledge of postoperative imaging appearances of common ankle surgeries is critical to identify complications and aid assessment of clinical treatment failure. This comprehensive review article discusses the surgical indications, techniques, imaging appearances, and complications-specifically those related to minimally invasive or arthroscopic surgery-for various ankle and foot conditions. It includes anatomical (Brostrom type) and nonanatomical lateral ligament repairs for ankle instability. Medial compartment procedures are described, such as peroneal tendon and retinacular repairs, as well as treatments for progressive collapsing flatfoot deformity, formerly known as posterior tibial tendon dysfunction or acquired flatfoot deformity. We also examine posterior compartment procedures, focusing on Achilles tendon repairs. Primary imaging modalities covered are magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, computed tomography, and radiographs, including expected postoperative appearances and the usefulness of each modality.

Risk factors for the recurrence of instability after operative treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability: A systematic review

Purpose

To identify, review and summarize risk factors for failure of lateral ankle ligament operative treatment for chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI).

Methods

A Systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines was performed. In July 2023, a bibliographic search of the PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Embase databases was performed. Articles were included if they were quantitative studies published in English and reported risk factors for recurrence of instability.

Results

A total of 496 articles were identified using the search strategy, and nine articles were included. All were low-quality cohort studies (level 3 or 4 evidence). These nine studies comprising 762 participants met the criteria for inclusion. Eighty-nine patients (11%) had treatment failure as defined by recurrence of instability, with rates ranging from 5.7% to 28.5%. Six risk factors were divided into three categories: patient demographics (generalized joint laxity [GJL], high-level sports activities and female sex), imaging features (varus hindfoot alignment), and surgical findings (poor quality of the remnant lateral ligaments, intraoperative syndesmosis widening).

Conclusion

The presence of risk factors such as GJL, high-level sports activities, female sex, varus hindfoot alignment, poor ligament quality, and intraoperative syndesmosis widening should guide surgical strategy to reduce the risk of treatment failure in lateral ankle ligament repair for CLAI.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, systematic review.

Revision lateral ankle ligament reconstruction for patients with a failed modified Brostrom procedure

PURPOSE

The Brostrom-Gould procedure has been considered as a gold standard operative technique for chronic lateral ankle instability. Despite the popularity and excellent outcomes of the modified Brostrom procedure, some patients still experience recurrence of ankle instability. Few studies reported outcomes of revision reconstruction for patients with a failed modified Brostrom procedure. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of a percutaneous anatomic revision lateral ankle ligament reconstruction for patients with a failed modified Brostrom procedure.

METHODS

From March 2017 to April 2020, 21 patients with persistent ankle instability after a modified Brostrom procedure underwent revision lateral ankle ligament reconstruction. The operation was performed through minimally invasive incisions. Functional assessment was performed using the Karlsson-Peterson ankle scoring system (KP) and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The questionnaires of KP and VAS were completed before surgery and at the last follow-up. Patients' subjective satisfaction level was graded as excellent, good, fair, and poor. Preoperative and postoperative anterior talar displacement and varus talus tilt angle in stress radiographs were recorded.

RESULTS

The average age at the revision surgery time was 39.6years. The mean follow-up was 39.2months. The VAS score improved from 4.1 ± 1.5 preoperatively to 1.3 ± 1.3 at the final follow-up (p < .05). The KP score improved from 59.0 ± 20.2 preoperatively to 88.2 ± 9.6 at the last follow-up (p < .05). The mean varus talar tilt angle was 14.1 ± 3.9 mm preoperatively versus 4.9 ± 4.7 mm at the final follow-up (p < .05). The mean anterior talar displacement was 12.8 ± 2.2 mm versus 5.6 ± 3.7 mm at the last follow-up (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The revision anatomic reconstruction of the lateral ligaments of the ankle is effective for patients with recurrent instability after a failed modified Broström procedure.

Failed Cavovarus Reconstruction: Reconstructive Possibilities and a Proposed Treatment Algorithm

This article provides an overview of the techniques and strategies to address a failed cavovarus deformity correction. These problems pose significant challenges to the treating surgeons and should be accurately planned before embarking on surgery.

Ankle Instability

Ankle sprains are a common injury among physically active populations and occur with an incidence of around 2.15 per 1000 person-years. This article discusses various surgical procedures used to treat chronic lateral ankle instability, including direct ligament repair, anatomic reconstruction, and nonanatomic reconstruction. We focus our discussion on the most common and challenging complications of ankle stabilization, both in our experience and as supported by the existing literature, including recurrent instability, superficial peroneal nerve injury, and unaddressed pathology that continues to cause symptoms and limit function. We offer possible methods to manage these conditions as well as available outcome data.