Comparison of Short-Term Clinical Effects of Minimally Invasive Anterior Talofibular Ligament Reconstruction versus Suture Anchor Repair for Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability

Objective: To compare the short-term clinical effects of minimally invasive anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) reconstruction versus suture anchor repair in patients with chronic lateral ankle instability. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 68 patients at the 960th Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Joint Logistics Support Force between January 2022 and June 2023, patients were divided into two groups based on surgical procedure: Group A (ATFL reconstruction, 35 cases) and Group B (suture anchor repair, 33 cases). Follow-up ranged from 1 to 12 months, assessing the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, VAS pain score, Tegner activity score, and patient satisfaction, while noting any recurrence of ankle instability or complications such as numbness or infection. Results: In Group A, the AOFAS score improved from 74.46 ± 2.96 preoperatively to 90.91 ± 2.79 at final follow-up, Tegner score from 2.40 ± 0.50 to 5.69 ± 0.76, and VAS from 3.14 ± 0.85 to 1.60 ± 0.50; patient satisfaction was 8.31 ± 0.72. In Group B, AOFAS improved from 74.48 ± 2.29 to 90.55 ± 3.12, Tegner from 2.48 ± 0.51 to 5.76 ± 0.79, and VAS from 3.45 ± 0.83 to 1.73 ± 0.50, with patient satisfaction at 8.27 ± 0.63. No significant statistical difference was found between groups in any score (P > 0.05), with both groups showing significant postoperative improvement (P < 0.05) and no serious complications within 1-year follow-up. Conclusion: Both ATFL reconstruction and suture anchor repair yield favorable short-term outcomes in treating lateral ankle instability. Further research is needed to assess if anatomical reconstruction offers superior biomechanical benefits in scar healing over the suture anchor repair in long-term follow-up.