title: Arthroscopic debridement for soft tissue ankle impingement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the response to treatment in patients with soft tissue impingement of the ankle managed with arthroscopic debridement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one ankle arthroscopies were performed for soft tissue impingement between April 2007 and April 2009. There were 26 men and 15 women and the mean age was 30.1 years. Arthroscopy was performed on an average of 21 months after injury. The Visual-Analogue-Scale Foot and Ankle (VASFA) score and Meislin's criteria were used to assess the response to treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean pre-operative VASFA score was 44.5. This increased to 78.3 postoperatively (p < 0.0001). According to Meislin's criteria, there were 34 good or excellent results, five fair and two poor results. Pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging was useful in detecting tears of the anterior talofibular ligament and excluding osteochondral defects; however, synovitis and soft tissue impingement was under-reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arthroscopy is an effective method for the diagnoses and treatment of soft tissue impingement of the ankle joint. This condition is under-reported on MRI.
authors.affiliation: University College Hospital Galway, Galway, Ireland. stevobrennan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rahim
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kearns
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle / Q000601:surgery*; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000209:etiology; D001182:Arthroscopy; D003646:Debridement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult