As research in foot and ankle conditions progresses, physicians have realised that many patients do not return to normal function after an ankle injury. This has been termed chronic ankle dysfunction.
There can be many potential causes, which can include:
- Improper rehabilitation
- The development of ankle impingement from a ligament injury
- Instability or a ‘loose’ ankle
- Talus osteochondral (cartilage lesions)
- Other occult injuries
Effective treatment for many of these underlying causes of chronic ankle dysfunction is available. Such conditions can frequently be addressed with keyhole or arthroscopic procedures which allow a quick recovery.
Ankle Cartilage Keyhole Surgery
Ankle impingement refers to a clinical syndrome where there is persistent pain in the front (anterior ankle impingement) or back (posterior ankle impingement or Os Trigonum syndrome) of the ankle. This is typically encountered after a preceding ankle injury.
Once a careful examination to confirm ankle impingement is performed, a highly effective form of treatment is arthroscopic or ‘keyhole’ therapy.
Benefits Of Arthroscopy For Patients
Arthroscopy is one of many procedures offered by Dr Tan Ken Jin, our Foot and Ankle Doctor in Singapore. This involves using small incisions about the size of a keyhole to access and treat various disorders in the foot and ankle. With increasing expertise in this field, many conditions including ligament repair, treatment of ankle impingement and pain, bunion surgery, Achilles repair/reconstruction, cartilage restoration etc can be treated via keyhole surgery.
There are numerous proven benefits of undergoing arthroscopy. Because it is a keyhole minimally invasive surgery, it is much more conducive to swift patient recovery.
Reduced levels of postoperative pain are evident after the procedure, which assists in maintaining the quality of life for the patient. Less blood loss and fewer overall complications than open surgery have also been observed from research conducted on this procedure.
If you have questions about this procedure or would like to book an appointment, call us on +65 6734 8168 or fill out an online enquiry form.
