title: Patient satisfaction and function after bilateral ankle arthrodeses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The optimum way to manage patients with bilateral ankle arthritis (AA) is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review was performed to report the midterm satisfaction and functional outcome of a series of patients who have undergone bilateral staged ankle arthrodesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight patients, median age 68.5 yrs (range 59-80) were followed-up for a median of 58.5 months (range 24-100). All fusions united in a median time of 12.8 weeks (range 10-19) Their median AOFAS hindfoot score was 79.5 (range 71-90). Six patients (75%) were very satisfied, one was satisfied, and the other neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Two patients developed symptomatic subtalar arthritis requiring subtalar fusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to report the outcome of bilateral AA independent to that of unilateral AA. Bilateral AA appears to give patients a good functional result with high patient reported satisfaction into the medium term.
authors.affiliation: Foot & Ankle Unit, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore HA7 4LP, UK. Electronic address: drphilipvaughan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.affiliation: Foot & Ankle Unit, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore HA7 4LP, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.affiliation: Foot & Ankle Unit, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore HA7 4LP, UK.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.affiliation: Foot & Ankle Unit, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore HA7 4LP, UK.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cullen
authors.affiliation: Foot & Ankle Unit, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore HA7 4LP, UK.
authors.forename: Dishan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D001174:Arthrodesis / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Arthritis; Bone; Internal fixation; Outcome; Talus; Tibia