Clinical outcomes of surgical treatment for end-stage ankle osteoarthritis in patients aged over 75 years: a multicenter, retrospective study

Background: The purpose of this study was to clarify the clinical outcomes of surgical treatment for end-stage ankle osteoarthritis in patients aged ≥75 years and compare the outcomes with those of patients aged <75 years. Methods A total of 148 patients, including 65 post-total ankle arthroplasty and 83 post-ankle arthrodesis patients, were surveyed retrospectively. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot hindfoot scale and the self-administered foot evaluation questionnaire preoperatively and at the last follow-up. Patient characteristics, including age, sex, body mass index, radiographic severity, and follow-up period, were also assessed. Patients were divided into the older age group (≥75 years) and the younger age group (<75 years). Improvements in outcomes were then compared between the age groups using univariate analysis and analysis of covariance adjusted for patient characteristics. Post-total ankle arthroplasty and post-ankle arthrodesis were analyzed separately. Results All clinical outcome scores improved postoperatively in the older age group for both post-total ankle arthroplasty and post-ankle arthrodesis. For example, scores for pain and pain-related subscale of the self-administered foot evaluation questionnaire improved by 37 points (p < 0.001) for post-total ankle arthroplasty patients and by 35 points for post-ankle arthrodesis (p < 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that the improvements observed in all scores were not different between the older and younger age groups for both post-total ankle arthroplasty and post-ankle arthrodesis patients, except for the Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire physical functioning subscale score for post-ankle arthrodesis patients. Conclusions Clinical outcomes improved significantly in post-total ankle arthroplasty and post-ankle arthrodesis patients aged ≥75 years. Moreover, the improvements were similar to those in patients aged <75 years. Therefore, surgical treatment of end-stage ankle osteoarthritis can be a viable treatment option, even in elderly patients.