Difficulty in bone union after arthrodesis to treat Charcot arthropathy of the foot and ankle

Introduction

A major complication of arthrodesis is non-union in patients with Charcot arthropathy. This study examined the bone union in joints affected arthrodesis for Charcot arthropathy of the foot and ankle.

Methods

The current retrospective study enrolled 15 patients (20 feet) who underwent arthrodesis (performed in 47 joints) for Charcot arthropathy from 2014 to 2020. Post-operative radiographs were classified based on the Brodsky anatomical classification system at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years post-operatively. The association with pre-operative and intra-operative data was determined.

Results

Bone union was achieved in 28 % of patients at 6 months, 57 % at 1 year, and 66 % at 2 years post-operatively. The bone union rates according to the Brodsky anatomic classification at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years were 50 %, 67 %, and 67 % for type 1; 20 %, 44 %, and 56 % for type 2; and 36 %, 86 %, and 86 % for type 3A, respectively. At 1 year after arthrodesis surgery, the odds ratio for non-union in Brodsky type 2 compared to that in type 3A joints was 8.727 (95 % CI: 1.623–46.935, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

Arthrodesis procedures in joints affected by Charcot arthropathy, especially in Brodsky type 2 joints, should ensure perfect bone-to-bone fitting, good adaptation, sufficient bone grafting, and strong fixation.