Short summary

Ankle arthrodeses are traditionally fixated with screws, but an ankle fusion plate might provide a more stable construct. The primary aim of this single center study was to investigate risk of reoperations after plate vs screw fixation of ankle arthrodeses in a retrospective cohort of patients. Secondary aim was to investigate wound complications and infections within 3 month postoperatively.

Rationale

More than 70% of ankle osteoarthritis cases result from posttraumatic origins. Treatment options aims to reduce pain and maintain the level of physical activity and include conservative methods such as analgesics, injections, and physiotherapy, as well as surgical interventions like joint debridement, joint replacement, and ankle arthrodesis. Ankle arthrodesis is frequently chosen as the primary treatment or as a salvage procedure after other interventions. It is recommended in cases where joint replacement is contraindicated, such as in patients engaged in high-level sports or those with severe ankle malalignment. This surgical procedure yields high satisfaction rates, with fusion rates ranging from 80% to 100% and complication rates at 11.2%. Screw fixation is the most commonly used technique, but plate fixation has also become an option. The plates has been proven superior to screws in biomechanical studies, but clinical studies is lacking. Thus, it is still unknown if plate fixation of ankle arthrodeses is superior to screw fixation in a clinical setting.

Description of the cohort

All patients undergoing ankle fusion at the Department of Orthopaedic surgery, Kolding, Denmark, in the study period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2024 will be included.

Data and biological material

All data for this study will be retrieved from local medical records at Kolding Hospital. The systems EPJ Syd and Cosmic Arkiv will be used to ensure a complete cohort of patients from the study period.

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of orthopaedic surgery Kolding, Lillebaelt Hospital

• Troels Seerup, MD, Consultant
• Thomas Friis Østergaard, MD, Senior consultant
• Ane Simony, MD, PhD. Consultant, Head of Research