The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American). 2009;91:99-106.
doi:10.2106/JBJS.G.00087
© 2009 The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.
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Chondral Injuries of the Ankle with Recurrent Lateral Instability: An Arthroscopic Study

Kazuya Sugimoto, MD, PhD1, Yoshinori Takakura, MD, PhD2, Koujiro Okahashi, MD, PhD1, Norihiro Samoto, MD3, Kenji Kawate, MD, PhD2 and Makoto Iwai, MD, PhD1

1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Saiseikai Nara Hospital, 4-643 Hachijo, Nara-shi, Nara 6308145, Japan. E-mail address for K. Sugimoto: kzort{at}m3.kcn.ne.jp
2 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634 8521, Japan
3 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nara Prefectural Hospital, 1-30-1, Hiramatsu, Nara-shi, Nara 631 0846, Japan

Investigation performed at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Saiseikai Nara Hospital, Nara-shi, Nara, Japan

Disclosure: The authors did not receive any outside funding or grants in support of their research for or preparation of this work. Neither they nor a member of their immediate families received payments or other benefits or a commitment or agreement to provide such benefits from a commercial entity. No commercial entity paid or directed, or agreed to pay or direct, any benefits to any research fund, foundation, division, center, clinical practice, or other charitable or nonprofit organization with which the authors, or a member of their immediate families, are affiliated or associated.

Background: Prolonged lateral instability of the ankle after ligament injury has been believed to be a major cause of osteoarthritis of the ankle, yet the rate of development of osteoarthritis of the ankle is relatively low. Clarifying the relationship between patient factors and chondral damage of the ankle with prolonged instability is essential to identify the important risk factors underlying osteoarthritis of the ankle.

Methods: Arthroscopic examination was performed to assess the condition of the articular cartilage in a series of patients with prolonged lateral instability of the ankle. There were ninety-three patients with ninety-nine involved ankles. Their mean age was 28.7 years (range, fifteen to fifty-nine years). The relationships between the severity of the chondral damage and patient factors, the number and combination of torn ligaments, and mechanical instability and alignment of the ankle mortise were studied.

Results: Twenty-three ankles were classified as grade 0 (normal cartilage); thirty-five, as grade 1 (superficial softening, fibrillation, or fissuring of the cartilage); twenty-four, as grade 2 (a cartilage defect without exposure of the subchondral bone); and seventeen, as grade 3 (exposure of the subchondral bone). Patient age, the talar tilt angle, and varus inclination of the ankle plafond were significantly associated with more severe chondral changes.

Conclusions: Patient age, the talar tilt angle, and varus inclination of the ankle are risk factors for severe chondral damage of the ankle in patients with a prolonged history of lateral ankle instability.

Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


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