title: Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with retrograde intramedullary nailing: 29 patients' clinical and functional evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate clinically and functionally the pos-operative results of patients submitted to tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis for the treatment of traumatic arthropathy and neuropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of 29 patients undergoing ankle arthrodesis with intramedullary retrograde nail. All patients were evaluated for fusion time, AOFAS and VAS scores, satisfaction, and complications of surgery. The mean follow-up was 36 months (range 6-60 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The union rate was 82%, and the consolidation occurred on average at 16 weeks (10-24 weeks). The pos-operative AOFAS score improved in 65.5% (average of 57.7 on neurological cases and 75.7 on cases pos-traumatic) and VAS score improved 94.1% (average of 2.3 on neurological cases and 4,2 on post-traumatic cases), and 86% of patients were satisfied with the procedure performed. Complications occurred in 11 patients (38%), including pseudoarthrosis (17.24%), infection (17.24%), material failure (13.8%) and fracture (13.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with retrograde intramedullary nail proved to be a good option for saving the ankle joint, with improvement of clinical and functional scores (AOFAS = 65.5% and VAS = 94.1%).
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago Barbosa
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Caixeta
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcio Oliveira Calábria
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Júnior
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Régis Vieira
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jefferson Soares
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edegmar Nunes
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Daher
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Albieri
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Frederico Barra
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: de Moraes
keywords: Ankle; Arthrodesis; Fracture fixation; Intramedullary; Osteoarthritis