To explore the application of minimally invasive ankle arthrodesis in the treatment of senile traumatic ankle arthritis.

From March, 2014 to March, 2015, 90 elderly patients with traumatic ankle arthritis admitted to Haihe Hospital of Tianjin were enrolled. Among them, 45 cases were treated by conventional open surgery (control group) and 45 cases were treated by minimally invasive surgery group). Preoperative two groups of patients underwent routine examination, postoperative gypsums were fixed, the second day removal of drainage strips, the use of antibiotics. Then serum myoglobin oxidative damage index (MYO), ischemia modified albumin (IMA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) level and bone metabolism index of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and Osteocalcin (BGP), calcitonin (CT) levels and the visual analogue scale (VAS), the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, the incidence of adverse reaction of two groups were compared. T test was used in comparison between groups and groups, and chi-square was used for comparison of counting data.

After treatment, the levels of MYO, IMA and MDA in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the TAC was significantly higher than the control group, the difference was statistically significant (t=11.218, 4.730, 12.930, 10.023, all P < 0.01). In the observation group, ALP, BGP and CT levels were significantly higher than those in the control group, the levels of ACP and PTH were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (t=5.347, 10.962, 9.731, 17.223, 13.424, all P < 0.01). Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference between VAS and AOFAS scores in both groups (t=0.140, 0.583, all P > 0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores of both groups were significantly reduced (t=33.372, 18.761, all P < 0.01), and the AOFAS scores were significantly higher (t=-28.069, -24.653, all P < 0.01), and the differences were statistically significant. Moreover, the observation group VAS score was lower than the control group, and the AOFAS score was higher than the observation group, and the difference was statistically significant (t=25.853, 6.155, all P < 0.01). In the observation group, adverse reactions occurred in 3 patients (6.66%) and 10 cases (22.22%) in the control group, the difference in the incidence of adverse reactions was statistically significant (χ²= 4.406, P < 0.05).

Minimally invasive ankle arthrodesis has a significant effect in the treatment of senile traumatic ankle arthritis, which can reduce postoperative wounds, reduce adverse reactions, increase bone density, regulate bone metabolism, protect joint function and promote postoperative recovery.