From: Proceedings of the Nordisk Ortopedisk Förenings 32d Assembly in Helsingfors June 1964: The Meeting of the Scandinavian Orthopaedic Association Was Held in Helsingfors under the Presidency of A. Langenskiöld
Acta Orthop Scand. 1965; 36(3):339-340
Kivilaakso R, Langenskiöld A, Salenius P
ABSTRACT
The series presented here covers the cases in which talocruralarthrodesis and pantalar arthrodesis of the ankle joint were carried out in the Orthopaedic Hospital of the Invalid Foundation, Helsinki from July 1956 to June 1963.
The number of patients who were treated during this period by talocruralarthrodesis and pantalar arthrodesis of the ankle joint for post-fracture conditions was 55, of whom 43 were men and 12 women.
Arthrodesis was performed by the Adams method, with sliding graft from the anterior surface of the tibia, according to Charnley and without internal fixation.
Fixation with a long vitallium screw driven through the plantar surface of os calcaneus and through the talus upwards into the tibia1 diaphysis was used in pantalar arthrodesis and talocruralarthrodesis when the subtalar joint was anchylosed.
The Adams operation was used in 22 cases and led to bony anchylosis in all.
In two of the six cases in which anchylosis was not achieved in this series the arthrodesis was performed again. In one case the renewed treatment led to bony anchylosis, but not in the other. The fact that 4 of the 6 patients did not wish to undergo a further operation seems to indicate that fibrous anchylosis in the talocrural joint does not always cause noticeable discomfort. Good results according to the patients’ estimation were achieved in 27 cases, satisfactory in 23 and poor in 5. Objective examination showed the results of treatment to be good in 43 cases, satisfactory in 5 and poor in 7. (Reprinted by permission of Taylor & Francis Ltd., http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals.)