Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis (TTCA) is indicated for a variety of disorders, including end-stage osteoarthritis, severe deformities and complications after operative interventions on the upper and lower ankle joints. Due to the biomechanical advantages, TTCA is predominantly performed with curved retrograde intramedullary nails allowing compression before locking. Hindfoot arthrodesis is most commonly performed by extensive open surgical approaches. Despite a patient satisfaction rate greater than 80 %, current reviews have reported mean complication rates of more than 50 % with a pronounced variance in bone union rates. This is influenced by the sometimes severe preexisting diseases in this patient collective. A predictive risk assessment for complications following TTCA revealed a significantly increased risk in the presence of diabetes mellitus, revision surgery or preoperative ulceration. In these high-risk patients, a reduction of the invasiveness of the procedure could possibly reduce the complication rates. Arthroscopic TTCA therefore appears to be a promising alternative approach. Even though only few case reports and one case series have been published, in the total collective of 17 patients only one subtalar non-union and one minor complication were reported. Despite the limited evidence available, arthroscopic TTCA appears to be a promising therapy option in patients with an increased risk profile and comorbidities, such as critical soft tissue situations, plantar ulceration, peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) and diabetes mellitus.
Keywords: Arthroscopy; Complications; Diabetes mellitus; Nail; Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis.