Abstract:Objective To investigate the effect of joint end microfracture treatment combined with arthroscopy on the long-term effect of ankle joint fusion and the effects on perioperative oxidative stress and complications.Methods 108 patients with end-stage ankle arthritis with internal and external inversion angles with ≤20° matching baseline data from February 2021 to April 2023 were selected. Among them, 54 patients underwent arthroscopic ankle fusion as arthroscopic group, 54 patients were treated with joint end microfracture combined with arthroscopic ankle joint fusion as improved group. The surgical indexes, perioperative oxidation indexes [malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidation state (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) before surgery, 1 d after surgery and 3 d after surgery] and antioxidant indexes [glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) before surgery, 1 d after surgery and 3 d after surgery] of the two groups were compared. Visual analogue scale (VAS score), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS score), before surgery, 6 months after surgery and 1 year after surgery, excellent and good rate and complications were compared between the two groups, and fusion time and AOFAS score at 1 year after surgery of patients with different internal and external inversion angles were compared between the two groups.Results The intraoperative blood loss in the improved group was less than that in the arthroscopic group, postoperative hospital stay in the improved group was shorter than that in the arthroscopic group, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The MDA, TOS and OSI levels in the improved group were lower than those in the arthroscopic group on day 1 and day 3 after operation, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The GSH-Px, SOD and TAC levels in the improved group were significantly higher than those in the arthroscopic group at 1 and 3 days after surgery, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The VAS score and AOFAS score at 6 months and 1 year after surgery in the improved group were not significantly different from those in the arthroscopic group (P > 0.05). Comparison of the excellent rate of patients in the two groups, the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The total complication rate of the improved group was significantly lower than that of the arthroscopic group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in AOFAS scores between patients with 10° ~ 20° and patients with < 10° at 1 year after surgery (P > 0.05). The fusion time of patients with internal and external inversion angles 10° ~ 20° was longer than that of patients with < 10° (P < 0.05).Conclusion Joint end microfracture treatment combined with arthroscopy ankle fusion for end-stage ankle arthritis with ≤20° internal and external varus can avoid bone grafting and osteotomy with satisfactory efficacy, and has advantages in reducing intraoperative bleeding and complications, alleviating perioperative oxidative stress, and accelerating postoperative recovery. However, when internal and external varus malformations are obvious, the time of osseous fusion can be prolonged.