INDICATIONS FOR POSTERIOR ANKLE/HINDFOOT ARTHROSCOPY - MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE POSTERIOR ANKLE IMPINGEMENT SYNDROME.

Posterior ankle/hindfoot arthroscopy has become an established technique for managing posterior ankle impingement syndrome. However, other indications of the posterior part of the ankle/hindfoot remain mostly uninvestigated. The aim of this study is to investigate the indications for posterior ankle/hindfoot arthroscopy performed as a solitary procedure and to report the outcomes. A total of 71 patients, who had undergone this procedure in our department over a period of nine years, were analysed. In all cases, the van Dijk et al. technique was followed. The most prevalent indication for posterior/hindfoot arthroscopy remains posterior ankle impingement syndrome in 59.15% of cases. Other indications included ten various posterior ankle/hindfoot pathologies, with the subtalar joint contracture being the most common one (15.49%). During the mean follow-up period of 79 (range, 24 - 127) months, there were 2 minor complications noted, both pertaining to transitory sensory deficits. The total median AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot score significantly improved from 69 to 98, with the improvement noted regardless of the indication. The satisfaction rate with the procedure was 98.59%. This study has shown that posterior ankle/hindfoot arthroscopy is an efficient and safe orthopaedic tool for the treatment of various posterior ankle and hindfoot articular and periarticular pathologies.