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Complications Following Arthroscopic Ankle Arthrodesis

Foot Ankle Int. 1996 Jun;17(6):340-342
 
Crosby LA, Yee TC, Formanek TS, Fitzgibbons TC
 

ABSTRACT

 
BACKGROUND/METHODS: Forty-two patients underwent an arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis utilizing a bi-framed distraction technique and demineralized bone matrix-bone marrow slurry as a graft substitute. The average follow-up was 27 months (range, 12-64 months).
 
RESULTS: The overall complication rate was 55%, including three nonunions (7%), two fractures (4.8%), four pin site infections (9.5%), one deep infection, four hardware problems (9.5%), and four symptomatic painful subtalar joints (9.5%). Overall, 85% of patients were satisfied with their final result.
 
CONCLUSION: The complication rate was high but most complications were minor and manageable. The demineralized bone matrix and bone marrow did not seem to increase the fusion rate over what has been documented previously for arthroscopic ankle fusions without the use of this graft substitute.

Copyright © 1996 (Foot Ankle Int. Jun;17(6):340-342) by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, Inc., originally published in Foot & Ankle International, and reproduced here with permission.