Clinical outcomes of isolated acute instability of the syndesmosis treated with arthroscopy and percutaneous suture-button fixation

Abstract

Introduction: To present the short- to midterm clinical outcomes of a series of patients with isolated acute syndesmosis instability treated with arthroscopy and percutaneous suture-button fixation.

Materials and methods: A review of 17 patients treated through the arthroscopic approach. The mean age of the patients was 27.8 years and the mean follow-up was 31.5 months. Clinical and functional evaluations were based on the VAS, AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and time of return to preinjury level of activities. Imaging analysis was performed with stress radiographs, MRI and CT scan with stress.

Results: The average VAS was 0.5 and the mean AOFAS score was 95.5. Out of the 17 patients, 15 were able to return to their preinjury level of activities. The mean time of return to activities was 5.06 months.

Conclusion: Arthroscopic approach and percutaneous suture-button fixation provided satisfactory clinical and functional results for selected patients with ASI at short- to midterm follow-up.

Level of evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.

Keywords: Arthroscopy; Instability; Suture-button; Syndesmosis.