Editorial Commentary: Arthroscopic Ankle Arthrodesis Requires Intraoperative Deformity Correction: Size of the Deformity Is Not the Primary Determinant of Outcome.

Abstract

Traditional teaching has told us that arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis is reserved for those patients with severe osteoarthrosis but minimal deformity. However, it is not the size of the deformity that matters; rather, it is the ability to correct the deformity intraoperatively that leads to satisfactory results. Preoperative identification of those patients with significant deformity that can be corrected with an arthroscopic approach would allow for improved selection and likely lead to better patient-reported outcomes and fewer complications.