CME OnDemand: 2022 AOFAS Annual Meeting-Do the Number of Screws and the Use of a Lateral Fibular Autograft Influence the Union Rate in Ankle Arthrodesis? A Systematic Review

Do the Number of Screws and the Use of a Lateral Fibular Autograft Influence the Union Rate in Ankle Arthrodesis? A Systematic Review

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Pdf Summary

This systematic review aimed to determine whether the number of screws and the use of a lateral fibular autograft during Ankle Arthrodesis (AA) affect the union and complication rate. The study included 732 ankles from 20 series of patients. The nonunion rate in the group fixed with 2 screws was similar to the group fixed with 3 screws (6% vs 1%). The proportion of complications appeared higher in the 2-screw group (18%) compared to the 3-screw group (8%), but this difference was not significant. After excluding "symptomatic hardware and screw removal," the difference in complications between the two groups remained non-significant. The use of a fibular autograft did not significantly affect the fusion or complication rate.<br /><br />In conclusion, based on the available data, this systematic review suggests that using three screws during AA does not significantly reduce the risk of nonunion or complications compared to using two screws. Additionally, the use of a lateral fibular autograft does not significantly influence the fusion or complication rate.

Asset Subtitle

Alessio Bernasconi, MD, PhD, FEBOT, Salvatore Vallefuoco, MD, Francois Lintz, MD MSc FEBOT, Francesco Smeraglia, MD, PhD, Massimo Mariconda, MD

Keywords

systematic review

number of screws

lateral fibular autograft

Ankle Arthrodesis

union rate

complication rate

nonunion

symptomatic hardware

screw removal

fusion rate