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Although numerous studies have demonstrated that concomitant low back pain (LBP) is associated with worse functional outcomes in patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty, no study has analyzed its impact on patients undergoing total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of LBP in people undergoing TAA and analyze its impact on patient reported functional outcome measures (PROMs). A retrospective review was performed on data from the Vancouver End Stage Ankle Arthritis Database. In total, 87 patients undergoing TAA were studied, with patient demographics collected preoperatively, including the absence or presence of LBP. Postoperative follow-up was performed at 5 years, primarily analyzing disease-specific PROMs including the Ankle Osteoarthritis Score and Ankle Arthritis Score. The Short Form-36 was used as a secondary outcome measure to assess global function. Multivariable linear mixed-effects regression models were conducted to compare the PROM between patients with LBP with those without LBP. In total, 30 patients (35%) presented with concomitant LBP. There were no significant differences at baseline between the LBP group and no LBP group in terms of demographics or baseline primary disease-specific PROMs. At 5 years, the patients with LBP had significantly worse Ankle Arthritis Score (32 ± 23 vs 22 ± 17, p = .03), Ankle Osteoarthritis Score Total (34 ± 23 vs 22 ± 16, p = .01), and Short Form-36 physical (PCS) components summaries (33 ± 12 vs 44 ± 9, p = .001) compared to the no-LBP group. Both groups improved significantly from baseline across all outcome measures. Our study demonstrated that the prevalence of concomitant LBP in end stage ankle arthritis undergoing TAA is similar to that described in arthritic knees and hips. If present, it can be associated with worse functional outcomes in the intermediate term. However it is not a contraindication to surgery, with patients still experiencing significant improvements from baseline. Further studies are needed to evaluate if LBP influences complications, implant failure rates and survival.

Background There is an absence of high quality research validating instruments that measure foot and ankle related quality of life among hallux valgus (bunion) patients’ perspectives. The Foot and Ankle Outcome Scale is a patient-reported outcome instrument, that when administered to patients with symptomatic hallux valgus, provides a patient-centric perspective of their foot function. The aim of this study is to assess the psychometric properties of the instrument’s five subscales among preoperative bunion surgery patients. Methods The Foot and Ankle Outcome Scale instrument measures Pain, Symptoms, Activities of Daily Living, Sport and Recreational Activities and Foot/Ankle Related Quality of Life. Preoperative data is collected from a sample of patients scheduled for surgical treatment of their condition in Vancouver, Canada. Classical and item response theory methods are used to report on reliability, validity and differential item functioning among subgroups. Results This study included 249 surveys, representing an overall response rate of 44.1% among 564 eligible patients. The instrument demonstrated high reliability for all subscales, though 18 items across subscales, exhibited poor discrimination between item levels. Four items score differently according to patients’ sex and one item scored differently by age. Conclusions The instrument measures five domains of health important to bunion patients. These findings suggest that the current instrument can be used with an understanding of its limitations, including redundant questions and sex-based differences. Future research should revise a number of items. The results highlight the importance of the psychometric analyses of instruments in specific patient populations.

Cryopreserved umbilical cord (UC) allografts have been shown to promote postoperative wound healing by suppressing inflammation and reducing scar formation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether adjunctive use of UC may improve clinical and functional outcomes following arthroscopic repair of talar osteochondral defects (OCDs). A total of 10 patients with talar OCDs that failed nonoperative treatment were enrolled in this single-center, prospective, pilot study. Clinical and functional outcomes were assessed using the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scale at 6, 12, 24, and 52 weeks postoperatively. Results showed a consistent improvement in all outcome measures. VAS pain scores significantly improved from 4.2 ± 2.9 to 1.3 ± 2.2 at 52 weeks (P = .015). AOS difficulty and pain scores nonsignificantly improved from 27.0 ± 24.6 and 33.1 ± 28.3 at baseline to 15.3 ± 20.5 and 14.8 ± 18.7 at 52 weeks, respectively. The clinical outcome improvement was accompanied by significant reduction in OCD defect size and associated bone marrow lesion. This pilot study suggests that adjunctive use of UC during arthroscopic repair of talar OCD may lead to clinical and functional improvement. Levels of Evidence: Level II: Prospective Cohort Study

We investigated the influence of sex on patient-reported outcomes preoperatively and following total ankle replacement and ankle arthrodesis.Patients who had undergone total ankle replacement or ankle arthrodesis for the treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis and who had ≥2 years of follow-up were identified from the Canadian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Prospective Ankle Reconstruction Database. Standard surgical techniques and implantation methods were followed, and STAR, Hintegra, Mobility, and Agility prostheses were used. Data were collected on patient demographics, revisions, secondary procedures, complications, Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS) scores, Short Form-36 (SF-36) scores, and expectations and satisfaction. Statistical analyses included 3-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple linear regression models controlling for inflammatory arthritis, age, preoperative scores, and surgery type.The study included 872 patients: 629 who had undergone total ankle replacement (316 men, 313 women) and 243 who had undergone ankle arthrodesis (154 men, 89 women). The mean duration of follow-up (and standard deviation) was 4.9 ± 2.4 and 4.0 ± 1.9 years for the total ankle replacement and ankle arthrodesis groups, respectively. Men were older than women (p ≤ 0.001). In both the total ankle replacement and ankle arthrodesis groups, women had higher AOS pain scores (i.e., more pain) than men preoperatively (p0.05). Pain was reduced significantly in both sexes postoperatively (p0.05), with no significant difference between sexes. In both the total ankle replacement and ankle arthrodesis groups, women had higher AOS disability scores (i.e., more disability) and lower SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) scores (i.e., worse function) than men both preoperatively and postoperatively (p0.001). Postoperatively, AOS disability and SF-36 PCS scores improved significantly from baseline in both sexes (p0.001). After controlling for covariates, sex was not a significant predictor of postoperative SF-36 MCS (Mental Component Summary), AOS pain, or AOS disability scores (p0.05) but explained 0.5% of variance in SF-36 PCS scores (p = 0.03). Sex did not significantly influence preoperative expectations or postoperative satisfaction. When patients with inflammatory arthritis were excluded, preoperative and postoperative outcome measures, expectations, and satisfaction were similar.Men and women with end-stage ankle arthritis benefited from total ankle replacement and ankle arthrodesis with similar magnitudes of improvement. Small differences in pain and function between men and women undergoing total ankle replacement and ankle arthrodesis mostly disappeared when controlling for potential confounding variables. Both total ankle replacement and ankle arthrodesis remain good options for men and women with end-stage ankle arthritis.Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Background: Ankle osteoarthritis is a significant cause of pain and disability. Despite the effectiveness of treatments, a subset of patients remains with persistent pain and functional limitations. The purpose of this study was to use preoperative patient-reported outcome measures to predict which ankle osteoarthritis patients would be most likely to experience postoperative improvements in functional outcomes. Methods: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was used to evaluate 427 patients with end-stage ankle arthritis with 5-year follow-up. Demographics, comorbidities, Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS), Ankle Arthritis Score (AAS), and the physical and mental component scores of the Short Form–36 (SF-36 Physical Components Score [PCS] and Mental Components Score [MCS]) were collected. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was then calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to choose the optimal threshold values of preoperative patient-reported outcome measure and assess the prediction performance. Results: Patients who scored worst at preoperative baseline made the greatest gains in function and pain relief, and they had a high chance of achieving MCID following surgical treatment. ROC curves demonstrated that preoperative AOS, AAS, and SF-36 PCS and MCS scores were predictive of postoperative improvements in physical and mental function. Patients with preoperative AOS score above 45.7 had an 83% probability of achieving an MCID (AUC = 0.67). Similarly, patients with a preoperative AAS score above 25.7 had a 78% probability of achieving an MCID (AUC = 0.63). Patients with a preoperative SF-36 PCS score below 31 had a 62% probability of achieving an MCID (AUC = 0.64). Patients with a preoperative SF-36 MCS below 52.7 had a 47% probability of achieving an MCID (AUC = 0.89). MCIDs for AOS, AAS, SF3-36 PCS, and SF-36 MCS score changes were 12.4, 10.0, 6.43, and 8.1, respectively. Conclusion: Preoperative patient-reported outcomes measures could predict postoperative improvement in ankle arthritis patients. The results of this study may be used to facilitate discussion between physicians and patients regarding the expected benefit of surgery. Level of Evidence: Level III, prognostic comparative study.

End-stage ankle arthritis has a significant effect on function and quality of life. Total ankle arthroplasty continues to emerge as a safe and effective treatment of ankle arthritis. Ankle arthroplasty preserves motion at the ankle joint, while still achieving the primary goal of pain relief. With encouraging outcomes and improved implant longevity, there has been significant improvement on the results of first-generation implants. Further high-quality studies are required to clarify outcomes post ankle arthroplasty. This article reviews the latest data from national registries and the wider literature to evaluate the current status with outcomes of modern total ankle replacements.

End-stage ankle arthritis is a disabling condition that has a similar effect on morbidity, pain, and loss of function to hip arthritis. We compared clinical outcomes of total ankle replacement (TAR) involving the HINTEGRA prosthesis (Integra LifeSciences), arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis (AAA), and open ankle arthrodesis (OAA) in patients with isolated, non-deformed end-stage ankle arthritis.Patients ≥18 years old who underwent TAR, AAA, or OAA from 2002 to 2012 with a minimum follow-up of 2 years were retrospectively identified from the Canadian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (COFAS) Prospective Ankle Reconstruction Database. All patients had symptomatic COFAS Type-1 end-stage ankle arthritis without intra-articular or extra-articular deformity or surrounding joint arthritis. Clinical outcomes included the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS) and Short Form-36 (SF-36). Revision was defined as removal of 1 or both metal ankle prosthesis components for TAR and as reoperation for malposition, malunion, or nonunion for AAA and OAA.Analysis included 238 ankles (88 TAR, 50 AAA, and 100 OAA) in 229 patients with a mean follow-up of 43.3 ± 18.5 months. The TAR group had more female patients (55%; p = 0.0318) and a higher mean age (p = 0.0005). Preoperative AOS pain, disability, and total scores were similar for all groups. SF-36 physical and mental component summary scores were similar across groups, both preoperatively and postoperatively. Improvement in AOS total score was significantly larger for TAR (34.4 ± 22.6) and AAA (38.3 ± 23.6) compared with OAA (25.8 ± 25.5; p = 0.005). Improvement in AOS disability score was also significantly larger for TAR (36.7 ± 24.3) and AAA (40.5 ± 26.4) compared with OAA (26.0 ± 26.2; p = 0.0013). However, the greater improvements did not meet the minimal clinically important difference. The TAR group underwent more reoperations than AAA and OAA groups (p0.0001). Revision rates were similar for all 3 groups (p = 0.262).AAA and OAA resulted in comparable clinical outcomes to TAR in patients with non-deformed, COFAS Type-1 end-stage ankle arthritis. The rate of component revision in patients who underwent TAR was similar to the rate of revision for patients who underwent AAA or OAA; however, TAR patients underwent a greater number of additional procedures. Overall, AAA and TAR involving the HINTEGRA prosthesis were not significantly different surgical options in terms of short-term outcomes; patients should be counseled regarding higher reoperation rates for TAR.Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Background: Patient-reported outcomes are becoming common for measuring patient-centric outcomes in surgery. However, there is little known about the relationship between postoperatively collected patient-reported outcomes and objective clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to measure whether postoperative Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS) values were associated with risk of revision among patients having ankle arthrodesis or total ankle arthroplasty for treatment of symptomatic end-stage ankle arthritis. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of a longitudinal cohort of ankle arthrodesis and total ankle arthroplasty patients. A single center recruited patients between 2003 and 2013 and follow-up was at least 4 years. Patients completed the AOS preoperatively and annually following surgery. An extended Cox regression model incorporating time-varying AOS values was used to model risk of failure. A total of 336 patients and 348 ankles were included, representing 139 ankle arthrodesis procedures and 209 total ankle arthroplasties. Results: The median follow-up time for revisions was 8.2 years and 46 patients had a revision. Higher values of patients’ AOS scores in the postoperative period were associated with a higher likelihood of revision (hazard ratio, 1.04 per 1-point increase; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.05). Ankle arthrodesis was associated with a reduced risk of revision compared with ankle fusion (hazard ratio, 0.12; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.49). Conclusion: This study showed that persistent pain and poor function after fusion or replacement surgery, as measured by elevated values of the AOS, were associated with higher risk of further surgery. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Background: Significant ankle arthritis results in functional limitations and patient morbidity. There is a need to measure symptoms and the impact of interventions on patient’s quality of life using valid and reliable patient-reported measurement instruments. The objective of this research was to validate the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale instrument in the preoperative setting using factor analysis, item response theory, and differential item function methods. Methods: This research is based on secondary analysis of patients scheduled for ankle arthrodesis or total ankle replacement in Vancouver, Canada. Participants completed the instrument between September 2014 and August 2017. Item response theory was used to estimate item difficulty and discrimination parameters, controlling for study participants’ underlying level of ankle function. Differential item function was examined for sex, age group, and surgery. There were 88 participants. Results: Modification indices suggested that item 10, “walking around the house,” would better fit the pain domain rather than the disability domain. Items in the pain domain displayed a range of discrimination and difficulty. Items in the disability domain exhibited a range of discrimination, though the disability domain had low difficulty. Differential item functioning for sex, age group, and ankle arthrodesis or total ankle replacement appeared to be ignorable. Conclusion: This evaluation of the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale found the instrument to be a strong measure of the effect of pain and dysfunction among patients with end-stage ankle arthritis, even when removing items 7 and 8, supporting its prior use in numerous clinical studies. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective comparative study.

Background: Several benefits are published supporting patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) in total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). This study seeks to determine if TAA with PSI yields different radiographic outcomes vs standard instrumentation (SI). Methods: Sixty-seven primary TAA patients having surgery using PSI or SI between 2013 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed using weightbearing radiographs at 6-12 weeks postsurgery. Radiographic parameters analyzed were the medial distal tibia angle (MDTA), talar-tilt angle (TTA), anatomic sagittal distal tibia angle (aSDTA), lateral talar station (LTS), and talar component inclination angle (TCI). A comparison of the 2 groups for each radiologic parameter’s distribution was performed using a nonparametric median test and Fisher exact test. Furthermore, TAAs with all radiographic measurements within acceptable limits were classified as “perfectly aligned.” The rate of “perfectly aligned” TAAs between groups was compared using a Fisher exact test with a significance of .05. Results: Of the 67 TAAs, 51 were done with PSI and 16 with SI. There were no differences between groups in MDTA ( P = .174), TTA ( P = .145), aSDTA ( P = .98), LTS ( P = .922), or TCI angle ( P = .98). When the rate of “perfectly aligned TAA” between the 2 groups were compared, there was no significant difference ( P = .35). Conclusion: No significant radiographic alignment differences were found between PSI and SI implants. This study showed that both techniques achieve reproducible TAA radiographic coronal and sagittal alignment for the tibial component when performed by experienced surgeons. The talar component’s sagittal alignment is similar whether or not PSI was used but is noticeably different from normal anatomic alignment by design. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study using prospectively collected data.

Background: Ankle replacement and ankle arthrodesis are standard treatments for treating end-stage ankle arthritis when conservative treatment fails. Comparing patient-reported outcome scores to the instrument’s minimal important difference (MID) helps physicians and researchers infer whether a meaningful change in health from the patient’s perspective has occurred following treatment. The objective of this study was to estimate the MID of the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale among a cohort of operatively treated end-stage ankle arthritis patients undergoing ankle replacement or arthrodesis. Methods: A survey package including the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale was completed by participants preoperatively and 2 years postoperatively. Distribution and anchor-based approaches to calculating the MID were used to estimate the MID of the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale and its 2 domains. The distribution-based approaches used were the small and medium effect size methods, while the mean absolute change method and linear regression method were the anchor-based approaches. Bootstrap sampling was used to obtain the variance of MID estimates. The MID was estimated for sex, age, operative, and baseline health subgroups. The cohort comprised 283 participants, totaling 298 ankles. Results: The MID did not vary with sex or operative procedure. Age-based differences in MID values may exist for the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale total score, and MID values were generally smallest among the oldest patients. Patients with the best and worst ankle-related health preoperatively had higher MID values than patients reporting mid-range Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale values preoperatively. Conclusion: The best estimate of the MID of the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale total score is 5.81. Our findings indicate that the MID of the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale may not vary by sex or operative subgroups but likely varies by age and preoperative Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale score. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective comparative study.

The INFINITY® Total Ankle System (Wright Medical Technology, Inc., Memphis, TN) is a fourth-generation, fixed-bearing, two-component total ankle replacement. The INFINITY® prosthesis is indicated for end-stage ankle arthritis, but within this category, it has been popular for patients with limited deformity and relatively younger patients where bone stock preservation is important. The INFINITY prosthesis is designed to preserve bone stock by minimizing the amount of bone removed to implant the ankle, using an anterior approach that does not broach the anterior cortex of the tibia and two options for talus resection. The INFINITY prosthesis can be implanted using an extramedullary guide or using PROPHECY®, a CT-based patient-specific alignment guide system. The implant is designed so that postoperative radiographs show the entire bone-implant interface. This chapter explores the surgical technique of implanting the ankle and adds several pearls of knowledge from the design surgeons.

Much controversy exists in the general arthroplasty literature regarding bearing options (Heisel et al., Instr Course Lect. 53:49–65, 2004). One particularly robust facet of this debate has revolved around the choice between fixed-bearing designs and mobile-bearing designs. Although the majority of this discussion over the past few decades has focused on bearing choices in total knee arthroplasty, the controversy remains very active within the total ankle replacement (TAR) domain as well. One of the primary reasons for the ongoing debate is that both mobile- and fixed-bearing concepts have noteworthy theoretical advantages and disadvantages. At the same time, both designs are capable of yielding excellent patient outcomes as well as potential failures.

BackgroundPhysical function is an important factor determining disease burden in arthritis. Monitoring function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is essential for effective treatment [1]. The currently used tools to assess physical function (e.g. patient reported outcomes) have limitations with respect to sensitivity and specificity to measure functional impairment in RA [2,3]. A marker-based optoelectronic measurement of hand function enables detailed analysis of hand movements such as spatial-temporal parameters and joint angles [4]. This may provide new possibilities to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the changes of hand function in patients with RA in so far unprecedented way.ObjectivesTo test the feasibility of optoelectronic measurement of hand function in RA patients and healthy controls (HC) when performing standard functional tests such as the Moberg Pick-Up-Test (MPUT) as well as standard movements such as finger flexing and to detect disease specific patterns.MethodsRA patients (ACR/EULAR 2010 criteria [1]) recruited from the Internal Medicine 3 outpatient clinic, Erlangen, Germany and HC were included (Ethics #125_16B). Participants were asked to perform the MPUT and a simple movement of flexing the interphalangeal (DIP) and proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP). Spatial-temporal data of hand movements and hand segment kinematics were captured using an optoelectronic measurement system (Qualisys AB, Sweden) with 29 retroreflective markers (Figure 1). Transport time for each of the 12 MPUT objects was divided into a grasping phase (GP) (first touch to safe grip) and a manipulation phase (MP) (safe grip to drop) using the video recording or marker trajectories. For the flexing movement, the ratios between the flexion angle of the DIP and PIP joint (DIPPIP) were calculated. We used linear mixed-effects models accounting for within-participant clustering of hands and adjusting for age and sex differences to compare RA with controls.Figure 1.Marker setup and the 12 objects transported during the MPUT.ResultsTwenty-four RA patients and 23 healthy controls were evaluated (Table 1). Mean GP times across all objects showed higher absolute differences between the groups (RA 0.43 [0.35-0.52]; HC 0.33 [0.27-0.40] sec) while MP times were identical (RA 0.36 [0.30-0.44]; HC 0.36 [0.30-0.44] sec) showing a significant group-phase interaction (p2) were similar for RA and controls (p>0.05).Table 1.Subject characteristics; mean (SD)RAHCmale: female [N]7: 1711: 12Age [years]62.3 (9.1)50.2 (16.1)Disease duration [years]11.8 (10.8)Disease Activity Score (DAS28)2.5 (1.3)ConclusionOptoelectronic measurement of hand function is feasible and allows to gain a more detailed picture of impairment in hand function in RA patients. For instance, tasks like reaching for an object are significantly impaired. Further, objects causing the greatest difficulty for RA patients in the GP were identified. The previously described linear relationship of angle ratios for the distal finger joints in healthy individuals [5] seems also valid for RA patients in our cohort and no significant group differences for the ratio could be observed. This may reflect that DIP and PIP joints are less affected in RA compared to e.g. psoriasis arthritis [6]. In conclusion, optoelectronic hand movement analysis allows a more accurate and differentiated analysis of hand function in RA patients.References[1]Aletaha, D. et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2010, 62, 2569-2581[2]Günay, S. M. Reumatismo. 2016, 68, 183-187[3]Liphardt, A.M. et al. ACR Open Rheumatol. 2020, 2, 734-740[4]Sancho-Bru, J. et al. Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Part H J. Eng. Med.2014, 228, 182-189[5]Lee, J. & Kunii, T. IEEE Comput. Graph. Appl. 1995, 77-86[6]Veale DJ, et al. RMD Open 2015, 1: e000025AcknowledgementsThe study was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under Grant SFB 1483 – Project-ID 442419336 and the major instruments at the Institute of Applied Dynamics, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg were used in this study – reference number INST 90 / 985-1 FUGG.Disclosure of InterestsNone declared

Background: Postoperative outcomes may be affected by the patient’s preoperative morbidity. It is hypothesized that patient’s pain catastrophization prior to foot and ankle surgery may affect their patient-reported outcomes. Methods: This study prospectively assessed a consecutive cohort of 46 patients undergoing foot and ankle reconstruction to describe the relationship between Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and patient-reported outcomes measured by 12-item Short Form Health Survey and Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). Results: The 1-year postoperative FAOS pain, activities of daily living, and quality of life scores correlated significantly with all baseline PCS subcategories. We found that the mental domain of the SF-12 had a statistically significant correlation with the rumination and helplessness PCS subcategories. Conclusion: This study showed a significant association between a high preoperative PCS and a worse 1-year FAOS. As such, catastrophization could be screened for and potentially treated preoperatively to improve patient-reported outcomes in elective foot and ankle surgery. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level III Evidence

Category: Ankle; Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: To understand the role of total ankle replacement (TAR) in treating the spectrum of arthritis of the ankle, a clear understanding of the epidemiology of ankle arthritis is required. The largest pools of epidemiologic data available to date come from international registries. In the USA, the largest market for TAR, where an estimated 10,000 TARs are implanted per year, the largest pool of demographic data on patients undergoing TAR is comprised of just 805 cases collected over 6 years. With the advent of patient-specific instrumentation (PSI), detailed demographic and CT scan data can now be collected. These data on 21,222 cases undergoing CT scan-based PSI planning were reviewed to define the demographics of a very large cohort of TAR patients. Methods: The cohort contained 21,222 patients from the USA and Canada, with surgery dates from 2012 - 2019. Data analysed included deformity measures, presence of existing hardware and joint fusion status. To date, a subset sample of 4800 cases was available for analysis. Extraction is ongoing and data for the full cohort will soon be available. This subset described cases with surgery dates ranging from November 2015 through May 2019. Summary statistics to describe age, gender, ankle size, and tibio- talar deformity were calculated. Of the 4800 patients analyzed, 53% were male. Mean age 63.6 years (SD 10.4) (Age distribution in Figure 1a). The deformity distribution is shown in Figure 1b, with varus more common than valgus. The mean degree of deformity increased with every decade of patient age from 6.1° (age 30-39) to 9.2° (age 80-89), and over time from 9.3°(2016) to 11.8° (2019) [in stemmed- implant cases]. Results: Tibia size varied with gender. Females ranged between 34-38mm in 85% of cases; males from 41-48mm in 79%. Of 21,222 cases, 5964 (28%) had adjacent hardware (screws, etc) in situ and pre-existing ankle fusions were present in 517 (2.4%), increasing from 1.2% in 2013 to 2.9% in 2019.The mean age of TAR patients is similar to that reported in smaller series. Tibia size was significantly greater in males than females, a finding not previously reported in demographic literature. In contrast to knee arthritis, intra-articular deformity >5° is common, present in > 51% of cases (varus > valgus). This is the first series to show the degree of deformity increases with age. Over time, TAR is being used in cases with greater deformity. Conclusion: Hardware is seen to be commonly present in TAR, increasing complexity. Conversion of fusion to TAR, while rare, is more common than existing literature suggests, with the rate increasing each year, suggesting this may be an increasingly important role for TAR in the future. This study presents the largest set of demographic data on TAR patients in the literature. The demographics of USA patients undergoing TAR are similar to those seen in non-USA registries. Deformity is common, increasing with age. The severity of deformity treated with TAR and conversion of fusion to TAR are increasing over time.

Background: Peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) have revolutionized distal extremity surgery reducing pain and improving hospital efficiency. Perineural dexamethasone has been administered with PNBs to prolong their effects, although the safety of dexamethasone has not been established in the literature. This study aimed to determine if the addition of dexamethasone affected the postoperative neurological sensory status for foot and ankle surgeries and the recovery of nerve injuries. We hypothesized that the rate of persistent nerve injury would be higher in the dexamethasone group. Methods: This is a retrospective observational cohort study of prospectively collected data of all patients from a single foot and ankle surgeon’s practice. Perineural dexamethasone was routinely used as an adjunct by the regional anesthesia group until a clinical trend of increased paresthesia was found on short-term follow-up, which led to the discontinuation of its use. In this study, the cohort that received dexamethasone with ropivacaine was compared with the cohort that received ropivacaine alone. The primary outcome was a separate sensory nerve status sheet that was completed for every distal nerve territory for every patient at their follow-up visits at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Univariate analysis and a logistic regression model were used to determine the association between dexamethasone and delayed nerve recovery. A total of 250 patients were included in the study, with 117 patients in the dexamethasone group and 133 in the ropivacaine-only group. Results: The rates of nerve injuries were not different between the groups (72 [62%] in the dexamethasone group vs 79 [59%] in the ropivacaine-only group). However, nerve injury symptoms were more likely to persist and not fully recover in the dexamethasone group ( n = 47, 65%) compared with the ropivacaine-only group ( n = 32, 41%) (OR, 2.12; P = .006). Conclusion: Perineural dexamethasone added to PNBs may be associated with delayed nerve recovery after foot and ankle surgery. It may be prudent to avoid its use until its full safety profile is established in larger prospective trials. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

In end-stage ankle arthritis, little is known about the impact of concomitant knee pathology, including the impact of ipsilateral knee pain on total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ipsilateral preoperative knee pain in patients undergoing TAA and analyze its impact on patient-reported functional outcome measures (PROMs). A retrospective review was performed on the Vancouver End Stage Ankle Arthritis Database at a single institution. In total, 114 patients were studied, with patient demographics collected preoperatively, including the presence or absence of knee pain. Postoperative follow-up was performed at 5 years, primarily analyzing disease-specific PROMs, including the Ankle Osteoarthritis Score (AOS) and Ankle Arthritis Score (AAS). Multivariate mixed-effects linear regression models compared the scores between the groups. In total, 31 patients (27.2%) presented with concomitant ipsilateral knee pain. Despite more females in the knee pain group (64.5% vs 36.1%) there were no other significant differences at baseline between the knee pain and no knee pain groups in terms of demographics or baseline primary disease specific PROMs. At 5 years, the patients with knee pain had significantly worse AAS (37.9 ± 23.8 vs 21.2 ± 16.3, P = .004) and AOS total scores (38.1 ± 24.1 vs 21.9 ± 15.5, P = .005) compared with the no-knee pain group. Both groups improved significantly from baseline across all outcome measures; however, the magnitude of improvement was less in the knee pain group. Our study demonstrated that over one-quarter of patients with end-stage ankle arthritis undergoing TAA present with ipsilateral concomitant knee pain. If present, it is associated with worse functional outcomes at the 5-year mark. Further studies are needed to evaluate if knee pain influences complications, implant failure rates, and survival. Levels of Evidence: Level III

Background: The operative procedure for a total ankle replacement (TAR) is intimately associated with the prosthetic design. The anterior and lateral approaches both have pros and cons regarding their respective soft tissue complications, osteotomy requirements, orientation of the bone cut, and gutter visualization. Although both have been studied independently, few reports have compared both in the same setting. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the difference in reoperation rate after lateral or anterior approach ankle arthroplasty. We hypothesized that the anterior approach had a higher rate of wound complications. Methods: We evaluated data from a single center collected between 2014 and 2017, comprising a total of 115 total ankle replacements performed by 1 of 4 fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons. Reoperations were recorded as an operative report with classification by Canadian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (COFAS) Reoperations Coding System (CROCS). The index approach used was determined by the surgeon’s practice preference. Patients were included when they had a primary TAR in the time frame noted and had a complete data set up to at least 2 years after surgery. The cohort comprised 67 anterior and 48 lateral operations with balanced demographics for age (95% CI: 63-67 years) and gender (47% F). The lateral group had more complex cases with higher COFAS type arthritis (more periarticular arthritis and surrounding deformity). Results: Comparing the 2 groups, a total of 40 reoperations (7 anterior [A], 33 lateral [L]) occurred in 27 patients (5 A, 22 L). One patient had 4 related reoperations. The only revision was in the anterior group. The only soft tissue reconstruction was a split-thickness skin graft in the lateral group. Nine reoperations were irrigation debridement related to an infection or wound complication (3 A, 6 L). The majority (19/33) of reoperations in the lateral group were gutter debridement (8) or lateral hardware removal (11). Operative time was statistically different at 145 minutes (95% CI: 127-164 minutes) in anterior TAR and 178 minutes (95% CI: 154-202 minutes) for lateral TAR ( P = .0058). The odds ratio of having any reoperation with a lateral approach TAR was 6.19 compared to the anterior group. Conclusion: The results at the 2-year time point demonstrated that there were more reoperations after a lateral approach TAR than an anterior TAR, recognizing the significant case complexity imbalance between the groups and a corresponding relative increase in resource utilization of lateral TAR patients. The 2 implant designs were associated with different reoperation rates, favoring the anterior group. Change in the lateral fixation may have reduced the risk of repeat surgery. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative series.

Background: A patient’s healthcare experience can be modulated by their understanding of their pre-operative disability along with their overall coping strategy. It is hypothesized that patient’s catastrophization and expectation on what they deem to be a successful surgery can affect their outcome. Methods: This current study prospectively assessed a consecutive cohort of patients undergoing foot and ankle reconstruction to describe the relationship between Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and patient-reported outcomes: SF-12 & FAOS. The PCS has a total score and three subcategories which are rumination, helplessness and magnification. Results: Forty-six patients were found to be eligible in the study with an average age of 54.7±14.4 years-old, a majority female (65%), a minority employed at the pre-operative visit (41%) and with an average BMI of 26.2±5.56. Looking at the FAOS Pain domain, it correlated significantly with the PCS Rumination and Helplessness subcategories. The FAOS Activity of Daily Living domain showed significant correlation with the PCS Rumination and Helplessness subcategories. The FAOS Quality of life domain was also statistically significant for the PCS Rumination and Helplessness subcategories. We found that the mental domain of the SF-12 had a statistically significant effect when compared to the Rumination (p=0.01) and Helplessness (p=0.001) subcategories.Conclusion: This study showed a significant association between an increase preoperative PCS and a worse one-year outcome looking at the FAOS domains. As such, in elective foot and ankle surgery, catastrophization should be screened for and potentially modulated pre-operatively to improve patient operative outcomes.

Background:Little is known about the effect of delayed access to bunion correction (hallux valgus) surgery on patient-reported outcomes. The objective of this study was to measure the association between preoperative wait time for bunion correction surgery and postoperative patient-reported outcomes.Methods:This study prospectively recruited patients to complete preoperative patient-reported outcomes measuring depression, pain, and foot and ankle health, including the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9); the pain intensity (P), interference with enjoyment (E) of life and general (G) instrument (ie, PEG); and the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), a condition-specific instrument. Patients complete the same patient-reported outcomes 6 months postoperatively. Regression models measured patient-reported outcomes as a function of wait time, adjusting for baseline health, age category, sex, comorbidities, and socioeconomic status. This study included 87 participants, a response rate of 53% among eligible patients.Results:Longer waits for bunion correction surgery, adjusting for other factors, were associated with smaller gains in health in 4 of the 5 domains of the FAOS. There was no relationship between postoperative depression and pain scores with duration of wait time, adjusting for patient characteristics.Conclusion:At the 6-month postoperative time point, prolonged preoperative wait times were detrimental to foot and ankle outcomes in 4 of the 5 domains of the foot and ankle–specific PRO. Policies for expediting access for symptomatic hallux valgus are warranted to mitigate poorer postoperative outcomes. Further study is required to understand if failure to improve is a permanent finding in the postoperative period.Level of Evidence:Level II, prospective comparative study.

Background: Adverse events require consistent recording to determine the effect of alternate treatments. This study was undertaken to evaluate the Vancouver Foot and Ankle WNS complication scale to capture complications (W: wound, N: nerve, S: systemic) to assist in outcome recording. Methods: Interrater reliability was tested in 2 settings: (1) between 2 blinded clinicians in a live clinical setting and (2) between 8 orthopedic surgeons using case vignettes based on a retrospective analysis of 500 foot and ankle procedures performed at the Toronto Western Hospital, Department of Orthopaedics. The intrarater reliability of the WNS scale was tested in a single rater using the case vignettes. Inter- and intrarater reliability were assessed using the Fleiss and Cohen weighted kappa ( k), respectively and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). There was adequate power over 0.8. Results: In the live clinical setting, the Cohen weighted k (95% CI) values for the W (0.935 [0.862, 1.01]), N (0.914 [0.752, 1.08]), and S (1 [1, 1]) parameters, indicating a near perfect level of agreement between raters. In the broader community of professional foot and ankle surgeons, the Fleiss k values (95% CI) had moderate agreement for the W (0.712 [0.688, 0.735]), N (0.775 [0.738, 0.811]), and high agreement for S (0.834 [0.802, 0.866]) parameters based on case vignettes. However, the Fleiss k values continued to indicate moderate to strong agreement between raters for all parameters. Conclusions: The WNS scale provided a standardized method of measuring foot and ankle surgical complications. There was at least moderate-strong interrater agreement for all parameters measured on case vignettes and excellent concordance in the live setting. Level of Evidence: Level III, comparative series.

Aims. This study presents the first report of clinical and radiographic outcomes of the Infinity Total Ankle System (Wright Medical, Memphis, TN) with minimum 2-year follow-up. Patients and Methods. The first 67 consecutive patients who underwent primary total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) with the Infinity system at 2 North American sites between August 2013 and May 2015 were reviewed in a prospective, observational study. Demographic, radiographic, and functional outcome data were collected preoperatively, at 6 to 12 months postoperatively, and annually thereafter. Results. The overall implant survival rate was 97% (65 of 67 implants) at a mean follow-up of 35.4 months (27 to 47 months). Two cases underwent talar component revision for aseptic loosening. Six of the 67 cases (9%) required a nonrevision reoperation. Mean Foot Function Index and Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale scores at latest follow-up improved from preoperative by 21.6 ( P < .0001) and 34.0 ( P < .0001), respectively. No radiographic loosening of any talar or tibial components was identified in the 65 nonrevised cases. Conclusion. Early clinical and radiographic outcomes with the Infinity TAA are promising and compare favorably to those reported for both fixed- and mobile-bearing third-generation TAA designs, even when used in cases with deformity and increased case complexity. Levels of Evidence: Level IV

Total ankle replacement (TAR) has evolved over the past decade as a treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis with improved survivorship. Despite the improving outcomes, ankle deformity represents a challenge to the foot and ankle surgeon with increased risk of implant failure. The use of preoperative computer-assisted guidance has led to better understanding the 3-dimensional ankle anatomy and associated deformities and allows for reproducible, anatomic placement of the TAR components.

Background: The Ankle Arthritis Score (AAS) is a new patient-reported outcome derived from the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS). This study analyzed longitudinally collected data from a cohort of patients in the Canadian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (COFAS) Ankle Arthritis Study in order to evaluate whether the postoperative AAS is associated with need for revision surgery. Methods: A multicenter, prospective, ankle-reconstruction study enrolled 653 ankles undergoing total ankle replacement (TAR) or ankle arthrodesis (AA). The AAS was given at baseline and annually during postoperative follow-up. Time to revision surgery was modeled using a proportional hazards model. The final sample included 531 ankles in 509 patients. Results: Sixty-two patients underwent metal-component revision and 8 underwent arthrodesis revision during the follow-up time period. The remaining 461 unrevised ankles (300 TAR, 161 AA) had a minimum follow-up of 2 years (average of 3.4 years). Revision surgery after TAR was found to be associated with a higher postoperative AAS and a longer follow-up. The hazard ratio for the AAS indicated that for every 1-point increase in the score, the rate of revision surgery after TAR was 1 percentage point higher. Conclusions: TAR patients who reported higher levels of postoperative functional impairment, as indicated by a higher AAS, were more likely to require metal-component revision surgery. After adjustment for other patient factors, the risk of revision surgery increased with length of follow-up after TAR. This study provides further evidence for the utility of the AAS in the clinical setting. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Background: Classification systems for the reporting of surgical complications have been developed and adapted for many surgical subspecialties. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the variability and frequency of reporting terms used to describe adverse events and complications in ankle fracture fixation. We hypothesized that the terminology used would be highly variable and inconsistent, corroborating previous results that have suggested a need for standardized reporting terminology in orthopedics. Methods: Ankle fracture outcome studies meeting predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected for analysis by 2 independent observers. Terms used to define adverse events and complications were identified and recorded. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus with the aid of a third observer. All terms were then compiled and assessed for variability and frequency of use throughout the studies involved. Reporting terminology was subsequently grouped into 10 categories. Results: In the 48 studies analyzed, 301 distinct terms were utilized to describe complications or adverse events. Of these terms, 74.4% (224/301) were found in a single study each. Only 1 term, “infection,” was present in 50% of studies, and only 19 of 301 terms (6.3%) were used in at least 10% of papers. The category that was most frequently reported was “infection,” with 89.6% of studies reporting on this type of adverse event using 25 distinct terms. Other categories were “wound healing complications” (72.9% of papers, 38 terms), “bone/joint complications” (66.7% of papers, 35 terms), “hardware/implant complications” (56.3% of papers, 47 terms), “revision” (56.3% of papers, 35 terms), “cartilage/soft tissue injuries” (45.8% of papers, 31 terms), “reduction/alignment issues” (45.8% of papers, 29 terms), “medical complications” (43.8% of papers, 32 terms), “pain” (29.2% of papers, 16 terms), and “other complications” (20.8% of papers, 13 terms). There was a 78.6% interobserver agreement in the identification of terms across the 48 studies included. Conclusion: The reporting terminology utilized to describe complications and adverse events in ankle fracture fixation was found to be highly variable and inconsistent. This variability prevents accurate reporting of complications and adverse events and makes the analysis of potential outcomes difficult. The development of standardized reporting terminology in orthopedics would be instrumental in addressing these challenges and allow for more accurate and consistent outcome reporting. Level of Evidence: Level III; systematic review of Level III studies and above.

Category: Ankle, Ankle Arthritis, Hindfoot, Midfoot/Forefoot Introduction/Purpose: Bone graft and bone graft substitutes may affect fusion rates and have been advocated to reduce the risk of nonunion particularly in patients with risk factors for failure of fusion. However historically they have not been used in all patients but tend to be used in patients at risk for nonunion. This paper analyses the union rates of patients with and without graft for a large retrospective cohort in which no graft, autograft and bone graft substitute, and summarizes the risk factors for nonunion. Methods: 2301 fusions performed in 1320 patients were reviewed with a minimum of 2 years follow up to determine the risk of repeat surgery for nonunion. The records were reviewed to determine which patients underwent revision surgery of the primary site for nonunion. Demographic factors and risk factors for nonunion were recorded. The nonunion rate for each joint (ankle, subtalar, talonavicular, calcaneocuboid, navicular cuneiform and tarsometatarsal joints) was determined. The mean age of the patients was 56, BMI 27.83, 32% were male, diabetes was present in 8.9%, smoking present in 10.9%, rheumatoid arthritis present in 10%. No graft was used in 1249 fusions, Autograft in 644, PDGF with TCP (regular) in 113, and PDGF injectable (TCP and collagen) formula in 110. Combinations were used in 159 patients. Odds ratios were used with 95% confidence intervals and p values. Results: No graft was used in 1249 fusions with 34 revisions for nonunion (2.7%) and graft was used in 1052 patients with 59 non unions (5.6%). The odds ratio for nonunion with graft was 2.2x, and was not significant. The odds ratio for PDGF with TCP for nonunion was higher than the PDGF injection, at 5 x versus 1 x. However the difference was not significant. The demographics of patients receiving graft were different than those not receiving graft, and were more likely to be older, male, have a higher BMI, be smokers and have diabetes. The appended figure shows the odds ratios for risk factors for receiving graft. Conclusion: Bone graft substitute and bone grafts result in a similar union rate for patients undergoing foot and ankle fusions. However patients receiving graft have higher risk factors for nonunion compared to those not receiving graft. This paper demonstrates that the concept of using graft for at risk patients is merited, with similar fusion rates being achieved. Larger patient numbers would be required to reach statistical conclusions.

Category: Ankle, Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: Recent advances in arthroplasty for the hip and the knee have motivated modern foot and ankle research to perfect the implant and technique for the optimal total ankle replacement. Unlike in the hip where different approaches can be done with the same implants, the approach of a total ankle is intimately associated to the prosthetic design. The anterior and lateral approaches have pros and cons regarding their respective soft tissue complications, osteotomy necessity, orientation of the bone cut and gutter visualization. While both have been studied independently, very few reports have compared both in the same setting. We set out to quantify the PROs and re-operations of both groups. Methods: A prospective study was conducted from a single center between 2014 and 2018 including a total of 64 total ankles performed by one of four fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon. A baseline dataset of their demographic as well as baseline scores (AOS, AAS & SF-36) was documented as well as at the 6 months and yearly mark post-operatively. Re-operations were also reported and coded in the local database. The approach was determined by the surgeon’s practice preference and patients were referred to surgeons as part of a central intake. Patients were included when they had a primary TAR in the timeframe noted and had a complete dataset up to at least the one year outcome. This cohort comprised 27 anterior and 37 lateral with balanced demographic for age (95%CI 63-67 yo) and gender (47% F). The lateral group had higher COFAS type arthritis, longer intraoperative time and adjunct procedures. Results: Comparing the two groups, it was noted that the anterior group had superior SF-36 scores at the one-year post- operative mark on both the physical and mental components. The difference was statistically significant and greater than the MCID. Otherwise, the two groups had similar AOS and AAS post-operative scores that were not statistically different. A total of 8 patients had a reoperation, 7 were from the lateral cohort and 1 from the anterior approach group. The lateral group had 3 surgical debridement for deep infection/wound complication, 2 ankle gutter/HO debridement and 2 lateral hardware removal. The anterior group had one ankle gutter/ HO debridement. Two of the above patients had two re-operations and one had three. Conclusion: This prospective pilot study outlines the early results of lateral versus anterior total ankle replacements. The risk of deep infection requiring reoperation was higher in the lateral group and the SF-36 scores one year after surgery were inferior to the anterior group. The lateral cohort had however significantly more pre-operative peritalar disease which was not balanced and likely affected those results. Patient experience based on PROs (AAS, AOS) otherwise is comparable. Future studies with longer prospective data need to be considered to have the power to draw significant conclusions.

Category: Ankle, Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: Ankle replacements (TAR) have evolved significantly over the past 10 years. While most TAR systems reference the medial gutter to set axial tibial component rotation, newer CT scan-based patient specific instrumentation (PSI) allows any rotational position to be set, and this is commonly set to bisect the medial and lateral gutter lines. It is still not yet known which alignment technique is optimal. Methods: We initiated a prospective cohort analysis of 22 consecutive cases using the Prophecy® 3D PSI guide (Wright Medical Technologies, Memphis, TN). There were four foot and ankle fellowship trained surgeons practicing from two referral centers. Every procedure had an intra-operative photograph taken from the knee looking down to the ankle after both the attachment of the PSI guide to the tibia and the insertion of the standard medial gutter fork. The axial rotational angle between both was measured and compared to the Prophecy® pre-operative plan. Statistical analysis was performed using the student’s T-test for paired distribution and descriptive statistics given the number of cases (N=22). Results: The primary outcome of this study was to assess the correlation between the pre-operative medial gutter line drawn on the Prophecy plan and the intra-operative medial gutter fork angle. The Pearson R correlation value was 0.54 (p = 0.53). The average difference between the pre-operative medial gutter line on the Prophecy® plan and the intra-operative gutter fork was -0.46 [95% CI -2.04 – 1.10]. This could mean that the medial gutter fork is on average slightly more internally rotated than templated medial gutter line. However, the average of the absolute differences between the preoperative medial gutter line and the intraoperative medial gutter fork was 2.69 degrees. Of the 22 cases, 11 were within 2 degrees and 17 were within 4 degrees. Conclusion: The medial gutter line on Prophecy® PSI pre-operative TAR plans is a moderately good representation of the intra- operative medial gutter fork position used in standard TAR instrumentation. Based on this, using the Prophecy® default which sets the tibial implant axial rotation to bisect the medial and lateral gutter lines will typically lead to greater external rotation of the tibial component compared to standard TAR instrumentation which aligns the tibial component to the medial gutter fork. Further work needs to be done to better understand which of these axial alignment options, or potentially others, is optimal.