Abstract
Anterior ankle impingement is a common condition where osteophytes develop on the anterior aspect of the ankle. Impingement of the bone spur may damage cartilage on the talus and become a precursor of arthritis. Initial treatment is conservative treatment with anti-inflammatory medications, ankle bracing, and steroid injections. Once refractory to conservative treatment, ankle arthroscopy is the next step. Indications and contraindications are similar to open ankle exploration and debridement. Arthroscopic debridement of the osteophyte and loose bodies can be performed using different arthroscopic instruments depending on the size of the osteophyte or loose bodies. If a Bassett’s ligament or accessory AITFL ligament is found, debridement of Bassett’s ligament is usually necessary with good to excellent clinical results.
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Further Reading
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Yan, A.Y., Maestre, S., Rong, K., Mangone, P. (2022). Anterior Ankle Impingement. In: Arthroscopic Techniques and Anatomy of the Foot and Ankle. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05190-6_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05190-6_7
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