The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 74, Issue 8 1191-1200, Copyright © 1992 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Revision of ankle arthrodesis with external fixation for non-union
HB Kitaoka, PJ Anderson and BF Morrey
Department of Orthopedics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
We evaluated the cases of twenty-six patients (twenty-six ankles) who had
had revision of an ankle arthrodesis with external fixation for a nonunion,
to determine the reasons for the failure of the previous arthrodesis.
Eighteen patients had had supplemental bone-grafting in addition to the
external fixation. The failure of the previous arthrodesis was related to
inadequate fixation technique in seven patients and to technical problems
in two patients; in the other seventeen patients at least one risk factor
was identified. We also determined the functional results of the revision
operation with external fixation for all patients. The average duration of
follow-up was five years (range, two to ten years) in the twenty-two
patients who did not have a reoperation for a persistent nonunion. The
results were excellent in eleven patients, good in five, fair in four, and
poor in six. The over-all rate of union was twenty (77 per cent) of
twenty-six, comparable with that after primary arthrodesis; however,
supplemental bone-grafting is usually necessary. In the current series,
rigid fixation, precise apposition of bone and alignment of the foot, and
early treatment of perioperative infection gave satisfactory results.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Technorati What's this?
