ABSTRACT
Brazil experiences a late participation in total ankle arthroplasty, which could have positive and negative aspects. The positive view argues about the modern implants that Brazil has received in the past years, skipping the early total ankle replacement generation who present more complications and low survival rate in the literature. The negative aspects are related to gap of experience with Brazilian surgeons unable to participate in the development of the technique and implant designs during these years. This article discusses the aspects of the Brazilian experience with total ankle replacement since the earliest procedures performed.
Subject(s)
Ankle Joint/surgery , Arthritis/surgery , Arthroplasty, Replacement, Ankle , Joint Prosthesis , Adult , Aged , Ankle Joint/diagnostic imaging , Arthritis/diagnostic imaging , Arthroplasty, Replacement, Ankle/adverse effects , Brazil , Female , Humans , Joint Prosthesis/adverse effects , Male , Middle Aged , Prosthesis DesignABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Adult-acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) is usually due to a combination of mechanical failure of the osteoligamentous complex that maintains the medial longitudinal arch of the foot and attenuation or complete tear of the posterior tibial tendon. Magnetic resonance imaging studies in patients with flatfoot deformities have reported the posterior tibial tendon to be pathologic in up to 100% of patients, the spring ligament in up to 87%, and the deltoid ligament in 33%. Many studies in the literature describe reconstruction of the spring ligament or the deltoid ligament associated with AAFD, but there is no study in which both (spring and deltoid) ligaments are reconstructed at the same time. We describe a novel technique to reconstruct the deltoid ligament and the spring ligament at the same time. METHODS: We described the technique and evaluated 10 consecutive patients with AAFD and insufficient ankle and midfoot ligaments. RESULTS: We found no postoperative complications, stiffness, or loss of correction. CONCLUSION: We present a novel technique to reconstruct the failed deltoid and spring ligament during flatfoot correction. It is unique in that it uses internal brace augmentation with FiberTape® to help and protect the soft tissue healing. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective case series.
