Ankle arthrodesis: A systematic approach and review of the literature

Table 1 Open ankle arthrodesis

Investigator	Year	Method	No. of patients	Union rate	Outcome(s)
Charnley et al[51]	1951	Charnley compression	19	79%	N/A
Boobbyer[52]	1981	Internal and external fixation	37	84%	N/A
Kenzora et al[53]	1986	External fixation	26	69%	N/A
Sowa et al[54]	1989	Compression blade plate	17	94%	10 excellent; 2 good; 2 fair (out of 14; Mazur)
Helm et al[55]	1990	Charnley compression	47	85%	N/A
Mann et al[11]	1991	Screws from talus to tibia	18	94%	N/A
Kitaoka et al[56]	1992	External fixation and bone graft	26	77%	N/A
Wang et al[57]	1993	T plate on lateral side	11	91%	N/A
Chen et al[58]	1996	Cross screws	40	95%	N/A
Patterson et al[59]	1997	Anterior sliding graft with screws	27	93%	N/A
Levine et al[44]	1997	Internal fixation and bone graft	22	92%	N/A
Mann et al[12]	1998	Internal fixation and fibular graft	81	88%	74 (AOFAS)
Dereymaeker et al[60]	1998	Internal and external fixation	14	64%	N/A
Ben-Amor et al[61]	1999	80% internal fixation, 20% external fixation	36	97%	56.2 (Duquennoy)
Takakura et al[62]	1999	Anterior sliding graft with screws	43	93%	77.9 (Takakura)
Coester et al[20]	2001	Internal or external fixation	23	N/A	27 limiation, 38 pain, 47 disability (Foot Function Index)
Bertrand et al[63]	2001	84% internal fixation, 16% external fixation	23	87%	69.7 (Duquennoy)
Anderson et al[64]	2002	Internal and external fixation	29	89%	N/A
Fuchs et al[65]	2003	22% internal fixation, 78% external fixation	18	95%	59.4 (Olerud and Molander)
Buchner et al[66]	2003	38% internal fixation, 62% external fixation	45	92%	73.6 (AOFAS)
Kopp et al[67]	2004	Internal fixation with staples and screws	41	93%	72.8 (Mazur)
Kennedy et al[16]	2006	Internal fixation with screws	41	95%	80.6 (AOFAS)
Thomas et al[39]	2006	Internal fixation with transfibular approach	26	100%	74 (AOFAS)
Trichard et al[68]	2006	60% internal fixation, 40% external fixation	25	N/A	64.7 (Duquennoy)
Smith et al[69]	2007	Internal fixation	25	96%	43.7 (AOFAS)
Colman et al[70]	2007	Transfibular approach with grafting	48	96%	69 (AOFAS)

Table 2 Arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis

Investigator	Year	Method	No. of patients	Union rate	Outcome(s)
Ogilvie-Harris et al[71]	1993	Tibiotalar and fibulotalar screws	19	89%	N/A
Dent et al[72]	1993	Crossed tibiotalar, charnley clamp	8	100%	N/A
De Vriese et al[73]	1994	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	10	70%	N/A
Turan et al[74]	1995	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	8 (10 ankles)	100%	N/A
Corso et al[75]	1995	Tibiotalar and fibulotalar screws	16	100%	N/A
Crosby et al[76]	1996	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	42	93%	N/A
Glick et al[77]	1996	Cannulated screws	34	97%	N/A
Jerosch et al[78]	1996	Tibiotalar and fibulotalar screws	26	85%	N/A
Cameron et al[13]	2000	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	15	100%	N/A
Zvijac et al[79]	2002	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	21	95%	N/A
Cannon et al[80]	2004	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	36	100%	N/A
Saragas[81]	2004	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	26	96%	63.9 (modified AOFAS out of 78 points)
Winson et al[25]	2005	Arhroscopic arthrodesis	116 (118 ankles)	92%	N/A
Ferkel et al[82]	2005	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	35	97%	73.9 (Mazur)
Gougoulias et al[83]	2007	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	74 (78 ankles)	97%	N/A
Dannawi et al[84]	2011	Arthroscopic arthrodesis	55	91%	81.5 (Mazur)

Table 3 Open vs arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis

Investigator		Year	Method	No. of patients	Union rate	Outcome(s)
Myerson et al[28]	Open	1991	Screws from tibia to talus	16	100%	N/A
	Arthroscopic		Cannulated screws	17	94%
O'Brien et al[27]	Open	1999	Open technique	17	82%	N/A
	Arthroscopic		Arthroscopic technique	19	84%
Nielsen et al[85]	Open	2008	Open technique	49	84%	N/A
	Arthroscopic		Arthroscopic technique	58	95%
Townshend et al[26]	Open	2013	Open technique	30	N/A	AOS = 29.2 ± 17.2; SF-36 physical = 38.2 ± 11.8; SF-36 mental = 52.2 ± 12.0
	Arthroscopic		Arthroscopic technique	30		AOS = 17.2 ± 17.9; SF-36 physical = 45.0 ± 9.3; SF-36 mental = 55.1 ± 8.1