Tibiotalar Arthrodesis in Posttraumatic Arthritis Using the Tension Band Technique

Background: Although a variety of surgical techniques are available for the treatment of ankle degenerative disease, arthrodesis is a common treatment especially for unilateral posttraumatic arthritis in young patients. A clear trend toward internal fixation for ankle arthrodesis is evident, but fusion site compression is known to play an integral role in primary bone healing. Methods: Between September 2001 and October 2009, 17 adults with painful end-stage posttraumatic ankle arthritis were treated with the tension band technique to achieve tibiotalar arthrodesis. Results: Tibiotalar fusion was obtained in all patients at a mean of 16.6 (range, 13 to 28) weeks. No patient had pain at the last postoperative follow-up examination. AOFAS and Mazur scores were preoperatively 29 and 23.1, respectively, and postoperatively 71.1 and 70.7, respectively. Conclusion: Arthrodesis with a tension band was a safe and effective surgical treatment option for posttraumatic ankle arthritis in patients without infection and good bone density, as it was simple, less invasive, and inexpensive and allowed early full weight-bearing. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.