Arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis: a review

Presently, tibiotalar fusion remains a valid treatment option in patients affected by end-stage arthritis of the ankle that is unresponsive to other treatments. Over the years, many different surgical techniques have been described to make this kind of surgery less invasive and invalidating. Consequently, the last two decades have seen arthroscopic ankle fusion gain in popularity with many studies aiming to understand its advantages compared with open surgery, indications, and contraindications. The review of literature revealed a lower rate of complication, faster recovery, and shorter time of hospitalization with arthroscopic arthrodesis, in comparison with open surgery. These characteristics, along with a reduction of costs, will probably increase the use of arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis in the near future.