Ankle arthrodesis in rheumatoid arthritis. 30 cases followed for 5 years.

We have reviewed the results of 30 ankle arthrodeses performed on 26 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This procedure was associated with a high morbidity, with wound breakdown and infection occurring in 12 cases. Eighteen ankles had fused, six had pain-free fibrous union, and six required further surgery for nonunion. Clinical evaluation, at an average follow-up of 5 years, was based on a modified ankle-grading system with good or excellent results in 14, fair results in nine, and poor in two. Only 4 patients had some residual pain in the ankle, and so, despite the high complication rate, arthrodesis is an effective method of treating the painful, rheumatoid ankle.