Ankle Arthrodesis with using Variable Pitch Tapered Screws (Acutrak® Screw) Fixation

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiologic results of open arthrodesis with using variable pitch tapered screws (Acutrak Ⓡ screw) for treating ankle arthritis. Materials and Methods: The subjects were 14 patients with 16 cases of performing ankle arthrodesis with using variable pitch tapered screws. Clinical evaluation was performed with using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot functional scale and the visual analogue scale pain score, and we assessed the postoperative complications and the patient's satisfaction. Radiological evaluation was performed by the assessing the time to union, the position of union, and the degenerative changes of the adjacent joints of the foot. Results: The average follow-up period was 15 months. The ankle-hindfoot functional scale was improved from an average of 38.9 points (range: 27-57 points) preoperatively to an average of 77.3 points (range: 66-89 points) at the last follow up. The visual analogue scale pain score was decreased from an average of 7.9 (range: 3-10) to 2.9 (range: 0-5), and 13 cases (81%) were satisfied with the outcome of surgery. For all the cases, radiological union was obtained at an average of 11.2 weeks (range: 6-16 weeks). Conclusion: We performed arthrodesis with using variable pitch tapered screws for treating ankle arthritis, and satisfactory short term results were obtained both clinically and radiologically.