Ankle arthritis affects approximately 1% of the adult population worldwide and represents a serious global disease burden. However, compared with hip arthritis and knee arthritis, the clinical understanding and treatment of ankle arthritis are still in their infancy. For end-stage ankle arthritis, ankle arthrodesis was considered as the "gold standard" in the past. However, ankle arthrodesis will result in loss of joint mobility, altered gait, limited daily activities, and accelerated degeneration of adjacent joints. Therefore, how to preserve the range of motion of the ankle joint while relieving pain is the key to the treatment of ankle arthritis. Currently, the surgical treatment of ankle arthritis includes arthroscopic debridement, periarticular osteotomies, osteochondral transplantation, ankle distraction arthroplasty, ankle arthrodesis, and total ankle arthroplasty. The choice of treatment should be individualized and based on various factors such as the patient's symptoms, signs, imaging performance, complaints, and financial situation. However, there are no guidelines that give clear treatment recommendations. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct extensive and in-depth discussions on the diagnosis and treatment of ankle arthritis.
Adult ; Humans ; Ankle/surgery* ; Arthritis/surgery* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Ankle ; Ankle Joint/surgery* ; Physical Therapy Modalities ; Arthrodesis/methods* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term effectiveness of INBONE ^TM Ⅱ total ankle prosthesis arthroplasty in the treatment of moderate to severe varus-type ankle arthritis. METHODS: The clinical and radiographic data of patients with moderate to severe varus-type ankle arthritis, who were admitted between May 2017 and November 2021 and treated with total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) using INBONE ^TM Ⅱ prosthesis, was retrospectively analyzed. A total of 58 patients (58 ankles) met the selection criteria and were included in the study. Among them, there were 24 males and 34 females, with an average age of 62.6 years (range, 41-85 years). According to the preoperative tibiotalar angle (TTA), the patients were divided into a moderate varus group (group A, TTA 5°-15°, n=34) and a severe varus group (group B, TTA>15°, n=24). There was no significant difference in gender, side, etiology, preoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, ankle dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, and total range of motion, and tibial lateral surface angle (TLS) between the two groups ( P>0.05). Yet the patients in group A were younger than group B, the degrees of oesteoarthritis (Takakura stage) and ankle pain [visual analogue scale (VAS) score] were milder, and the TTA, talar tilt angle (TT), hindfoot alignment angle (HAA) were smaller while the tibial articular surface angle (TAS) was larger, showing significant differences ( P<0.05). The pre- and post-operative VAS score, AOFAS score, the occurrence of early and late complications, the radiographic parameters of the ankle (TTA, TAS, TT, HAA, TLS), ankle dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, and total range of motion were recorded and compared. RESULTS: All patients were followed up 19-72 months, with an average of 38.9 months. Compared with the preoperative data, the VAS score of all patients significantly decreased ( P<0.05); the AOFAS score, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, and total range of motion significantly increased ( P<0.05); and the TTA, TAS, TT, HAA, and TLS significantly improved at last follow-up ( P<0.05); but there was no significant difference in plantarflexion range of motion ( P>0.05). Early complications occurred in 13 patients, and only 1 patient underwent revision surgery due to a larger size of the talar component. At last follow-up, there was no significant difference in the difference of clinical parameters before and after operation between the two groups ( P>0.05); there was a significant difference in the difference of other radiographic parameters ( P<0.05) except TLS. No significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups was found ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION TAA using the INBONE ^TM Ⅱtotal ankle prosthesis is an effective treatment for moderate or severe varus-type ankle arthritis, and good clinical and radiographic results can be obtained. Correcting bony deformities and balancing soft tissue are the keys to successful surgery.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Ankle/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Ankle/methods* ; Arthritis/surgery* ; Ankle Joint/surgery* ; Joint Prosthesis ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the short-term effects of ankle joint replacement for the patients with hemophilic arthritis. To find out the main points for improving the joint function and the patients' life quality. To accumulate more experience for clinical treatment.

METHODSThe Kofoed evaluation system and the AOFAS evaluation system were used to follow-up 6 hemophilic patients with ankle arthritis (6 males, ranging in age from 23 to 57 years, with an average of 41.2 years), who were treated with ankle joint replacement from 2004.7 to 2007.7. The scores before operation, and the 6th,12th months after operation were compared.

RESULTSThe Kofoed evaluation system showed the joint replacement significantly improved the scores for relieving pain, joint function, range of motion and the total score (P<0.05). Except the score for relieving pain, the other three also had significant differences between the 6th month and the 12th month after the operation (P<0.05). Compared with each details of the joint function, there was significant improvement before and after the operation (P<0.05). The ankle got more extended range of motion in the 12th month after operation than the 6th month (P<0.05). The AOFAS evaluation system showed the joint replacement significantly improved the scores for relieving pain, joint function, X-ray measurement and the total score (P<0.05). There was no differences between the 6th month after operation and the 12th month in the results for relieving pain and the X-ray measurement (P>0.05). However, the joint function and the total score had significant differences (P<0.05). Compared with each details of the joint function, there was also significant improvement before and after the operation (P< 0.05), and the walk distance, as well as the joint flexion and extension activities, had differences between the 6th month and the 12th month after the operation. Both of the two evaluation system showed the operation could get good curative effects (P< 0.05), and the artificial joint could constantly be in good condition from the 6th month to the 12th month after operation (P> 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn this short-term observation, the joint replacement can significantly improve the life quality for the hemophilic patients with ankle arthritis.

Adult ; Ankle Joint ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Arthritis ; etiology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Arthroplasty, Replacement ; methods ; Hemophilia A ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a relatively common and potentially life threatening complication after major hip surgery. There are two main types of prophylaxis: chemical and mechanical. Chemical prophylaxis is very effective but causes bleeding complications in surgical wounds and remote organs. On the other hand, mechanical methods are free of hemorrhagic complications but are less effective. We hypothesized that mechanical prophylaxis is effective enough for Asians in whom VTE occurs less frequently. This study evaluated the effect of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) in the prevention of VTE after major hip surgery. METHODS: Incidences of symptomatic VTE after primary total hip arthroplasty with and without application of IPC were compared. A total of 379 patients were included in the final analysis. The IPC group included 233 patients (106 men and 127 women) with a mean age of 54 years. The control group included 146 patients (80 men and 66 women) with a mean age of 53 years. All patients took low-dose aspirin for 6 weeks after surgery. IPC was applied to both legs just after surgery and maintained all day until discharge. When a symptom or a sign suspicious of VTE, such as swelling or redness of the foot and ankle, Homans' sign, and dyspnea was detected, computed tomography (CT) angiogram or duplex ultrasonogram was performed. RESULTS: Until 3 months after surgery, symptomatic VTE occurred in three patients in the IPC group and in 6 patients in the control group. The incidence of VTE was much lower in the IPC group (1.3%) than in the control group (4.1%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Complications associated with the application of IPC were not detected in any patient. Patients affected by VTE were older and hospitalized longer than the unaffected patients. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that IPC might be an effective and safe method for the prevention of postoperative VTE.
Ankle ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Aspirin ; Dyspnea ; Foot ; Hand ; Hemorrhage ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leg ; Male ; Methods ; Ultrasonography ; Venous Thromboembolism* ; Wounds and Injuries