Purpose: Ankle sprain is a common injury that can be treated conservatively, though many injured patients do not seek treatment or are not adequately managed, both of which can lead to subsequent chronic ankle instability (CAI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional scores and complication rates of an all-inside anatomic reconstruction technique to treat CAI at a minimum follow-up of 24 months.
Methods: The authors retrospectively collected the records of 41 patients that underwent all-inside endoscopic anatomic reconstruction of the ATFL and CFL including demographics, complications, satisfaction, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, Karlsson score, and ankle activity score (AAS), at a minimum follow-up of 24 months.
Results: The study cohort, comprised 34 patients aged 35.6 ± 10.8 years, were assessed at 48.7 ± 19.0 months. AOFAS scores improved from 60.3 ± 11.9 to 94.3 ± 6.2 postoperatively. Karlsson scores improved from 49.0 ± 10.9 to 87.2 ± 10.1 postoperatively. Thirty-three (97%) patients returned to the same AAS (5.6 ± 3.1) and rated their overall satisfaction ≥ 7. One patient (3%) was reoperated to treat a hematoma, while five patients (15%) were reoperated to remove the cortical fixation device that caused discomfort.
Conclusion: The novel all-inside endoscopic technique for anatomic reconstruction of the ATFL and CFL grants satisfactory functional outcomes at a minimum of 24 months, and the improvements in AOFAS and Karlsson scores compared favourably to those reported for other techniques in the literature.
Level of evidence: IV.
Keywords: Ankle; Arthroscopy; CAI; Ligament; Reconstruction.