Surgery of the ankle is a fairly common procedure. The majority of ankle surgeries have to do with the outside of the ankle or the lateral ankle complex. The lateral ankle complex is composed of the lateral ankle ligaments and the peroneal tendons. The ligaments on the outside of the ankle are the most important ligaments for stability. These ligaments are often injured with an ankle sprain or ankle fracture. The peroneal tendons work to dynamically stabilize the ankle with activities. These tendons can also be injured with repetitive use or chronic ankle sprains. It is important for anybody that has more than 1 ankle sprain a year to have the structural integrity of their ankle evaluated.
Evaluation of the ankle usually involves and x-ray and a physical examination. In addition, I will often order and MRI to get a better appreciation of the structural components of the ankle. I like an MRI because one can see what the ligaments and tendons look like. This is extremely helpful for evaluation of what needs to be repaired for surgery and what the tissue consistency looks like for the repair.
The surgical procedure itself, or the repair, can be relatively straight forward as in just a ligament stabilization or more complex included bone work. The most common ankle procedure is the lateral ligament reconstruction or the Brostrum procedure. This is a great procedure for anybody with chronic ankle sprains. With this procedure there is a chance you may need the tendons repaired as well.
If you are experiencing frequent ankle sprains or have pain on the outside of the ankle I can help. Make an appointment today and we will get you back on the road to recovery. Give us a call at 425-391-8666.
