Repeated arthroscopy of the ankle joint after distraction arthroplasty, a case series

BACKGROUND: Distraction arthroplasty of the ankle joint is the treatment method used for the cases of terminal osteoarthritis of the ankle joint that allows for delaying the arthrodesis or the total endoprosthesis replacement. The therapeutic effect is being achieved due to the separation of the articular surfaces (arthrodiastasis) with using the Ilizarov frame (or other devices for external fixation) for a period of 8–12 weeks. Only one research was described with the patients undergoing repeated arthroscopy of the ankle joint after the distraction arthroplasty in a combination with microfracturing of the cartilage defects, or repeated arthroscopy at the moment of removing the external fixation device (after 3 months). АIM: To study the changes in the articular surfaces according to the Outerbridge before and after the distraction arthroplasty of the ankle joint using the repeated arthroscopy of the ankle joint. METHODS: A total of 17 distraction arthroplasty surgical interventions of the ankle joint were performed (7 [41.2%] females and 10 [58.8%] males; the mean age of the patients was 48.5±13.57 years). Repeated arthroscopy of the ankle joint due to the recurrence of anterior impingement-syndrome after the distraction arthroplasty of the ankle joint within up to 12 months from the moment of removing the Ilizarov frame was carried out in 4 patients. For the evaluation of the treatment results, the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) scales were used, with an evaluation of pain, functions, deformity and the alignment of the foot and of the ankle joint (АОFAS Ankle-hindfoot scale), with subjective evaluation of pain (VAS); the status of the cartilage tissue in the ankle joint was evaluated using the modified Outerbridge scale. RESULTS: In all the patients, a statistically significant improvement of the functional result was found in 12 months from the moment of surgery when using the FAAM (р=0.0006) and АОFAS Ankle-hindfoot scales, as well as after removing the Ilizarov frame in 1, 3 and 6 months. The pain intensity according to the VAS scale has decreased from 6.17±1.32 cm before surgery to 2 cm (1.4; 2.1) (p=0.00002) in 12 months. The arthroscopic findings upon the repeated interventions demonstrate the development of the massive arthrofibrosis with its further degradation to the end of 6 months, also showing the restoration of the cartilage defects from Outerbridge grade IV to grade II–III. CONCLUSION: Upon the repeated arthroscopy, including the one performed at the end of 12 months after the distraction arthroplasty of the ankle joint, signs of regeneration were observed in the cartilage tissue defects with further defect coverage with a cartilage-like tissue, which, probably, determines the analgesic effect of the distraction arthroplasty of the ankle joint.