Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis of Biological Ligament Healing after Suture-Tape Augmentation for Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability / 대한족부족관절학회지

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#The aim of this study was to evaluate biological ligament healing quantitatively after suture-tape augmentation for chronic lateral ankle instability. @*Materials and Methods@#Thirty-two patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at a minimum of 2 years after lateral ligament augmentation using suture-tape. Signaloise ratios (SNRs) and widths of anterior talofibular ligaments (ATFLs) were measured on preoperative and postoperative MRI by three researchers. ATFL biological healing degrees were analyzed using changes in SNRs and widths of ATFLs and by comparing these metrics with those of normal contralateral ankles. Clinical evaluations were performed using foot and ankle outcome scores (FAOSs), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) scores, and ankle stress radiographs. @*Results@#Mean FAOS and FAAM scores improved significantly from 62.4 to 93.6 and 58.3 to 92.3, respectively, at final follow-up (p<0.001). Mean SNRs and ATFL widths improved insignificantly from 8.49 to 8.21 and 2.07 to 2.15 mm, respectively, at final followup (p=0.424, p=0.718). Significant differences in mean SNRs and ATFL widths were found between ipsilateral and contralateral sides (p<0.001, p=0.002). Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed no significant association between clinical outcomes and degrees of biological healing of ATFLs based on MRI findings. @*Conclusion@#Despite improvements in clinical outcome measures, the effects of suture-tape augmentation for chronic lateral ankle instability on biological ligament healing were insignificant. In addition, no significant correlation was found between clinical outcomes and degrees of biological healing of ATFLs.