A newly emerging trend in foot and ankle surgery is the use of the Tightrope end-button device made by Arthrex. The device is a special type of suture material called fiberwire, attached to two small buttons at either end. A small needle is used to pass the suture through two bones, and then the suture material can be tightened to bring the bones together.
One of the uses of the device is in injuries to the tibiofibular syndesmosis. The syndesmosis is composed of several ligaments, including the anterior tibiofibular ligament, posterior tibiofibular ligament, and the interosseous tibiofibular ligament. Together this structure helps keep the fibular and tibia together, adding stability to the ankle joint.
In ankle fractures, the tibiofibular syndesmosis is often disrupted. If left unaddressed, the diastasis, or separation, between the tibia and fibula can lead to dysfunction and arthritis. A syndesmosis injury can often occur as an isolated event, sometimes referred to as a high ankle sprain.
The standard method of addressing this injury is to place a screw across the syndesmosis, sometimes referred to as a trans-syndesmotic screw. These are often placed through the bones until the ligaments can heal, and is then removed. However, complications such as broken screws and failed healing of the syndesmosis lead to research into alternatives.
The Tightrope design allows for some motion to occur at the tibiofibular syndesmosis. This allows for a more natural motion at the joint. The manufacturers state that the device never needs to be removed, so long as there aren’t any complications with the fixation, due to its allowance of micro-motion. This is in contrast to screw fixation, which necessitates another surgery.
Studies have shown good short-term results using the Tightrope for repair of syndesmotic injuries. It has been shown to be as effective as screw fixation in allowing for healing. While there are no long-term results available yet, nor are there any published studies comparing Tightrope fixation to screw fixation, the results thus far have been promising. Several studies are in development to more rigorously study this new form of fixation.
At least one study, however, has shown some complications from the use of the Tightrope device. Wilmott et al (Injury 2009) showed several soft tissue complications resulting from the use of the Tightrope. There study was small, however, and the patients involved in the study did show healing of the syndesmosis with use of the fixation device.
While it may be a new trend emerging in foot and ankle surgery, there is certainly more evidence necessary before Tightrope fixation for syndesmosis injuries can become the standard of practice. Larger, long-term studies will be necessary, comparing the device to fixation with screws.
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