Improvement in clinical outcomes following arthroscopic all‐inside medial lateral ligament reconstruction for rotational ankle instability

Abstract

Purpose

Rotational ankle instability can be diagnosed in up to 18% of cases of chronic lateral ankle instability. It is characterised by an abnormal increase of talar rotation within the tibiofibular mortise, due to an injury in the most anterior component of the deltoid ligament secondary to a chronic deficiency of the lateral collateral ligament. The aim of this prospective observational study was to investigate the clinical outcomes following arthroscopic all‐inside medial and lateral ligament reconstruction for rotational ankle instability.

Methods

A prospective observational study of consecutive patients undergoing arthroscopic all‐inside medial and lateral ligament reconstruction for rotational ankle instability with minimum 6‐month follow‐up. The primary outcome was a validated patient‐reported outcome measure (PROM), the Manchester‐Oxford Foot Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included the EQ‐5D, European Foot and Ankle Society score and complications.

Results

Between 2020 and 2023, 12 patients underwent primary arthroscopic all‐inside medial and lateral ligament reconstruction for rotational ankle instability with pre‐ and post‐operative PROMs available for all 12 patients. The mean ± standard deviation age was 33.9 ± 7.2 years and the mean follow‐up was 1.9 ± 1.2 (range: 0.5–3.8, interquartile range: 0.9–3.0) years. There was a significant improvement in all Manchester‐Oxford Foot Questionnaire domain scores ( p < 0.05): Index 53.1 ± 19.1 to 26.4 ± 27.6, Pain 46.7 ± 20.3 to 26.2 ± 26.8, Walking/Standing 58.7 ± 26.0 to 27.0 ± 30.0 and Social Interaction 51.2 ± 19.5 to 25.6 ± 30.1. There were improvements in EQ‐5D‐5L Index, VAS and VAS Pain; however, these were not statistically significant. There was one complication—a superficial peroneal nerve injury which resolved with a corticosteroid injection.

Conclusion

The arthroscopic all‐inside medial and lateral ligament reconstruction technique is a reliable and safe method for treating rotational ankle instability, demonstrating significant improvement in PROMs at a mean 1.9‐year follow‐up.

Level of Evidence

Level IV.