Clinical research of ankle fusion with vascularised semi-split fibular flap via lateral approach / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of the vascularised semi-split fibular flap with lateral approach in ankle fusion.Methods:A total of 54 patients who underwent ankle fusion through the lateral menstrual approach by the Department of Trauma and Micro Orthopaedics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from June 2015 to December 2020 was retrospectively analysed. Of the 54 patients, 27 patients who underwent ankle fusion with a semi-split fibular flap carrying blood supply were assigned to the fibular flap group, while other 27 patients who had ankle fusion with lateral plate were assigned to the plate group. The ankle fusions for both groups were performed by the same surgical team. The clinical efficacy of the 2 groups was evaluated by the success rate of bone fusion, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgery(AOFAS) Ankle-Hindfoot Score System, and the Visual analog score(VAS). All the patients entered the postoperative follow-up at outpatient clinic.Results:The follow-up lasted for 12-24 months, with an average of 15 months. At 6 months after surgery, 24 patients in the fibular flap group achieved osseous union with 88.9% in the success rate of bone fusion. While 17 patients in the plate group achieved osseous union, with the success rate of bone fusion at 63.0%. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups( P<0.05). At 1 year after surgery, all 27 patients in the fibular flap group achieved bony union, with a 100% of the success rate of bone fusion, while 23 patients in the plate group achieved bony union at a 85.2% success rate of bone fusion, with 4 patients failed to heal. The difference was statistically significant( P<0.05). The AOFAS scores of the fibular flap group were 41.3±12.0, 65.6±5.6, and 79.1±7.0 before operation, at 6 months after operation and 1 year after operation, respectively, while the scores for the plate group at the same time were 40.8±11.3, 64.5±4.1 and 69.3±7.2. There was no significant difference in the scores between the groups before surgery and at 6 months after the operation ( P>0.05). The scores at 1 year after surgery in the fibular flap group was significantly higher than the plate group, and there was a statistically significant difference( P<0.05). The preoperative VAS score in the fibular flap group was 7.6±1.3, while it was 7.5±1.1 in the plate group. There was no significant difference between the groups in VAS score( P>0.05). However, the VAS score at 1 year after surgery was found at 1.8±0.9 in the plate group, and 1.9±0.8 in the fibular flap group and the difference between groups was statistically significant( P<0.05). Conclusion:The surgical procedure of semi-split fibular flap through the lateral approach has lower complications and higher success rate in ankle fusion in comparison with those of the fusion with lateral plate. Thus, further clinical investigations can be considered.