Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33944980›Full record

SynthesisInternational orthopaedics2021

End-stage ankle osteoarthritis: arthroplasty offers better quality of life than arthrodesis with similar complication and re-operation rates-an updated meta-analysis of comparative studies.

Daniele Fanelli, Michele Mercurio, Davide Castioni, Valentina Sanzo, Giorgio Gasparini, Olimpio Galasso

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International orthopaedics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
26citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
7.3field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

26 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 53 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Observational
  4. Article
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  6. Ankle morphometry based on CT in Chinese population.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025
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  7. Review
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  10. Gait stability improves following unilateral total ankle arthroplasty.Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society · 2025
    Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. [Effectiveness comparison of supramalleolar osteotomy and ankle arthrodesis in treatment of inverted ankle osteoarthritis in Takakura 3A stage with talus tilt].Zhongguo xiu fu chong jian wai ke za zhi = Zhongguo xiufu chongjian waike zazhi = Chinese journal of reparative and reconstructive surgery · 2023
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Daniele FanelliDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Woodend Hospital, Eday Road, Aberdeen, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4397-7060
Michele MercurioDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, "Mater Domini" University Hospital, "Magna Græcia" University, V.le Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy. mercuriomi@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-8742-5612
Davide CastioniDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, "Mater Domini" University Hospital, "Magna Græcia" University, V.le Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3207-6651
Valentina SanzoDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, "Mater Domini" University Hospital, "Magna Græcia" University, V.le Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
Giorgio GaspariniDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, "Mater Domini" University Hospital, "Magna Græcia" University, V.le Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-8256-7697
Olimpio GalassoDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, "Mater Domini" University Hospital, "Magna Græcia" University, V.le Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-4915-046X
Magna Graecia University · ITWoodend Hospital · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAnkle arthrodesis (AA) has traditionally been the surgical standard for patients with an end-stage ankle osteoarthritis, with total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) recently becoming an alternative. The aim of this study was to update evidence in terms of functional outcomes, complications, and quality of life between AA and TAA by analyzing comparative studies.

methodsPubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Central databases were used to search keywords. A total of 21 studies entered our qualitative and quantitative analysis. Demographics, functional outcomes, and complications were extracted. Random and fixed-effect models were used for the meta-analysis of standardized mean differences (SMDs) and odds ratios (ORs).

resultsA total of 18,448 patients were identified, with a mean age of 57.3 ± 11.3 years. TAA showed significantly greater post-operative range of motion (SMD - 0.883, 95% CI - 1.175 to - 0.590; I

conclusionWhile TAA and AA showed no differences in most post-operative functional outcomes, our review demonstrates that patients undergoing TAA show better health-related quality of life than AA. We found no evidence to suggest that TAA carries a higher risk of complications and re-operations compared to AA.

Indexed as

Arthroplasty, Replacement, AnkleOsteoarthritisAgedAnkleAnkle JointArthrodesisHumansMiddle AgedQuality of LifeRetrospective StudiesTreatment Outcome36-Item Short Form SurveyAnkle fusionOutcomesRange of motionThe Ankle Osteoarthritis ScaleTotal ankle replacement

Identifiers

PMID33944980
OpenAlexW3157100053

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.