• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2001

It has been known that the ankle arthrodesis is a common surgical procedure for treating the ankle arthrosis and deformity that do not respond to the non-operative treatment. To date, various surgical techniques for the ankle arthrodesis have been reported. Clinical and biomechanical trials have shown that the rigid internal fixation leads the increased rate of the union. The ankle arthrodesis may be complicated with the nonunion, delayed union, malunion, and infection. In cases of the Charcot joint of the ankle in diabetic patients, however, arthrodesis could reduce the disadvantage of the nonoperative treatment, such as the loss of the reduction, progressive collapse, multiple ulcerations and infection. The object of this case report is to report our experience of a successful ankle arthrodesis using an anterior T plate in treating the unstable ankle of a diabetic patient, associated with the ankle fracture and the neuropathy. The surgical approach of this technique is simple so that it would allow less soft tissue injury, and this procedure would be regarded as one alternative to provide the rigid internal fixation in the ankle arthrodesis.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.102-106
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• 2011

Recently, development and improvement in joint replacement therapy, the need for arthrodesis has been decreasing. However, result of joint replacement is not always satisfactory, and most cases are rather indicative to ankle arthrodesis than ankle replacement. Often, ankle arthrodesis can be more beneficial salvage method to treat cases with failure in joint replacement therapy, talar avascular necrosis with massive bone defect, talus fracture with severe comminution and bone defect and ankle dislocation. In cases with large bone defect that need to be treated with ankle arthrodesis using internal fixation, it is difficult to fill the defect with conventional auto-iliac bone or all-bone graft. Thus, we make a report on our experience in treating 2 cases with ankle arthrodesis using auto-fibular bone graft and plate fixation.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.147-152
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• 2014

Ankle arthrodesis has been used as standard treatment of ankle arthritis unresponsive to conservative treatment. Transfibular approach was used for ankles with severe deformities and minimally invasive arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis was used for patients with mild deformities. Anterior approach may be used when lateral approach couldn't be performed. Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis is standard treatment for coexisting ankle and subtalar arthritis, and modified Blair arthrodesis can be used if the talus body resection is necessary in severe talar necrosis. In serious infection of ankle arthritis, arthrodesis can be performed as staged operation. In cases with low bone density and severe deformities, Charcot arthropathy should be considered.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 1997

The arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis is one of the good method of the ankle arthrodesis. Mechanical distraction of tibiotalar joint is an absolute necessity for adequate visualization and operative instrumentation. However, there are several disadvantages. Thus we performed arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis using calcaneal traction in three cases and achieved following results. 1. The procedure is easy and the operation time is shorter than the other arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis. 2. The risk of neurovascular damage and infection is reduced by using calcaneal traction. 3. It does not require the expensive distraction device. 4. The adequate visualization for operative instrumentation is obtained.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.189-194
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiologic results of arthrodesis between anterior approach and transfibular approach arthrodesis in ankle arthritis. Materials and Methods: There were 61 cases of ankle arthritis treated by anterior or transfibular ankle arthrodesis in our hospital from April 2008 to March 2012. We investigated 29 cases (27 patients) who underwent ankle arthrodesis with an anterior approach (15 cases) and transfibular approach (14 cases), and were followed for over two years. Clinically, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), and subjective satisfaction degrees were evaluated. In addition, ankle coronal and sagittal alignments were evaluated using plain radiographs at 6 and 24 months, postoperatively. Results: Clinically, preoperative mean AOFAS score and VAS was 41.3 and 6.4, and were changed to 58.9 and 3.3 postoperatively in the anterior approach group. In the transfibular approach group, preoperative mean AOFAS score was 36.6 and VAS was 7.1, and they were changed to 54.9 and 3.4 postoperatively. However, no significant differences in the clinical results were observed between the two groups (p=0.297). Duration of attaining union was 8.1 weeks in the anterior approach group and 10.4 weeks in the transfibular approach group. Complications were delayed union in one case, nonunion in three cases, cancellous screw breakage in three cases, and complex regional reflex syndrome in one case. Conclusion: After transfibular ankle arthrodesis as treatment of ankle osteoarthritis, the tendency for valgus angulation of the ankle at the final follow-up was observed and 6.5 mm cancellous screw breakage occurred frequently. Therefore, in order to achieve better stability, it is necessary to use 6.5 mm cannulated screws rather than 6.5 mm cancellous screws for ankle arthrodesis.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.124-131
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• 2011

Ankle arthrodesis has been considered to be the standard operative treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis, nevertheless currently increasing arthroplasty. Indication for arthrodesis is painful ankle from global arthrosis regardless of the etiology. But it is hard to be carried out in the several circumstance such as infection states, poor vascularity, severe diabetes, prematurity, etc. So thorough evaluation should be done before the surgery, including adjacent joints status. The ideal position for fusion is neutral in flexion, functional valgus, and slightly external rotation. Methods of arthrodesis would be largely divided into two categories as in situ fixation and realignment procedure. The lateral and anterior longitudinal approaches are two common procedures, and fixation modalities are also variable. The long-term results of arthrodesis have been reported. Even the close follow-up have shown subsequent degeneration of adjacent joints, benefits such as reliable pain loss, easy correctability for deformity, and improved functional status with considerable durability can be expected in the most patients.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2018

Ankle arthrodesis is a common and standard treatment for patients with end-stage ankle arthritis. The surgical goals of ankle arthrodesis are to obtain bony union between the tibia and talus with adequate alignment, and provide a pain-free plantigrade foot for weightbearing activities. To achieve successful fusion, the surgeon should closely examine the patient's factors before surgery, particularly the following: adjacent arthritis and deformity, infection, avascular necrosis of talus, Charcot arthropathy, and rheumatoid arthritis. Recently, ankle arthroplasty has been reported to provide satisfactory clinical results. On the other hand, long-term follow-up results are still lacking, and considering the various complications of arthroplasty, ankle arthrodesis is still the primary surgical treatment for advanced arthritis of the ankle joint.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 1998

There have been numerous methods to obtain a stable arthrodesis of the tibiotalar joint. However, a controvercy has arisen over the most successful and reproducible method to obtain an arthrodesis. The objective of this report is to show that an ankle arthrodesis can be performed successfully and advantageously by using cannulated screws under arthroscopic control and that our csaes will be a part of the multicentric study of arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis in korea. Between May 1996 and May 1997, we perfomed 3 ankle arthrodesis under arthroscopy using cannulated screws. Two patients had post-traumatic osteoarthritis and one had rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical ankylosis in one case and radiological union in two cases were obtained in 12 weeks postoperatively. We propose that arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis is effective procedure in patient who has minimal deformity and bone loss, advantages like small incision, minimal morbidity, low infection rate and rapid return to normal daily activity, but more cases and comparision with open tecnique will be needed.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.151-156
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• 2022

The proportion of patients with end-stage ankle arthritis is increasing. The leading surgical methods for treating patients with end-stage ankle arthritis are ankle arthrodesis and total ankle arthroplasty. Ankle arthrodesis is considered the standard treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis. Many studies have been conducted on the two procedures, but it is unclear which is superior, and total ankle arthroplasty cannot be said to be a clear indication. Therefore, this review compares the advantages and disadvantages of two representative surgical methods for treating end-stage ankle arthritis.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.134-138
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• 2000

Arthrodesis of the ankle joint is inevitable in the cases of severe arthrosis or defective bony structures around ankle joint. There have been many kinds of arthrodesis methods were introduced. In cases with failed athrodesis with previous arthrodesis surgery and neuropathic joints have difficulty to achieve fusion of joint with conventional methods. Authors underwent four cases of ankle fusion with vascularized fibular graft from 1997 in the cases of three failed fusions and one diabetic neuropatic joint. Two of four performed free vascularized fibular transplantation from contralateral side leg with microvascular anastomosis, two of four performed with pedicled fibular transposition to the ankle joint in same side leg. Three of four cases achieved arthrodesis average 9.2 months after surgery, one case was failed due to vascular thrombosis of the anastomosed site in diabetic neuropathic condition. The result of this technique revealed 75%(three of four) success rate and longer bone union time required. However, in these cases had no recommendable options with conventional bone graft and additional ankle joint fusions procedure because of poor bone quality and defect of distal tibia and talus portions. Free vascualrized fibular transfer to the failed athrodesis of ankle joint is one of the effective alternative methods in failed ankle fusion cases, especially the quality of the bone around previous fusion site is poor.