The use of retrograde intramedullary femoral nail for tibiotalocalcaneal fusion in charcot ankle & foot joints

Introduction Charcot arthropathy is a destructive inflammation, which may affect any joint, especially joints of the ankle and foot. Bony fragmentation, fracture, and dislocation will progress to deformity, bony prominence, and instability. This often causes ulceration and deep infection that may necessitate amputation. The objective of the study is to assess the results of treating Charcot ankle with fusion by retrograde intramedullary femoral nail. Patients and methods Twenty patients were prospectively studied, all of them were clinically diagnosed to have Charcot ankle arthropathy. Preoperative Assessment of all patients by the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Scale (AOFAS) was done. In postoperative follow up, the modified AOFAS score was used with a maximum score of 86, as hind foot motion and ankle motion were blocked by arthrodesis. Results Significant improvement in functional score for the series’ patients was encountered. There is increase in the mean score from 33.6 to 73.2 (P<0.001), which considered clinically and statistically significant. Conclusion Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with retrograde intramedullary nail is a successful method for ankle fusion with good clinical and functional scores.