Operative ankle arthroscopy. Long-term followup.

Ankle arthroscopy has become an accepted procedure for the treatment of various intraarticular disorders. More than 100 ankle arthroscopies have been performed at our institution since 1983. To better define the role of arthroscopic surgery in the treatment of ankle disorders, we evaluated the preoperative examination and indications, operative data, and radiographs of those patients with a minimum of 1 year of followup. Fifty-eight ankles in 57 patients were identified; their average follow-up period was 25 months (range, 12 to 49 months). Preoperative diagnoses were synovitis (26), transchondral defects of the talus (17), degenerative joint disease (8), and osteophytes or loose bodies (7). Subjective results were good or excellent in 64% of cases. The best overall results were achieved in patients with synovitis (77%) and transchondral defects of the talus (71%). Degenerative joint disease patients did not do well. They had only 12% good or excellent results and a 43% rate of subsequent fusion. Complications included superficial and deep infections, temporary and permanent paresthesias, and hemarthroses; the overall complication rate was 15%. In conclusion, operative ankle arthroscopy can be useful in selected patients. It is an effective surgical procedure in patients with synovitis and transchondral defects of the talus. The benefits and long-term results are less predictable with loose bodies and impinging osteophytes; the results are poor with degenerative joint disease. There appears to be a significant risk of complication with ankle arthroscopy; however, with proper indications, a thorough knowledge of anatomical landmarks, and meticulous technique, good results can be obtained.