A chronic sinus tract infection developing after suture anchoring of the ankle: A case report

RATIONALE: Suture anchors are increasingly used to fix soft tissue to bone. Favorable outcomes of the modified Brostrom operation (MBO) using suture anchors have been reported. However, to the best of our knowledge, few complications of suture anchors used in ankle surgery have been described. Here, we present a rare case of successful treatment of a chronic sinus tract infection developing after the MBO using a suture anchor. PATIENT CONCERNS: A healthy 18-year-old high school student presented with a chronic ulcerative wound in his right ankle 1 year after anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligament repair using a suture anchor at a local clinic. Clinical examination revealed a 1.5 × 2-cm-sized ulcerative wound, accompanied by a red-black discharge, on the anterior border of the right lateral malleolus. The wound could be approximated to the joint capsule level using a forceps. DIAGNOSIS: A simple standing anteroposterior radiograph of the right ankle revealed mild, lateral soft-tissue swelling. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that a sinus tract running from the wound to the talar body crossed the anterior joint capsule, and bone marrow edema surrounding the talus. INTERVENTIONS: We removed the sinus tract and the infected suture anchor. We rendered the wound zigzag-shaped and then performed simple suturing and applied a short leg cast. OUTCOMES: The wound healed completely by 4 weeks after surgery. The patient reported no complication or recurrence of infection at the 1-year follow-up. LESSONS: To obtain wound healing, the chronic sinus tract must be removed. If the suture anchor is the cause of infection, it should be removed.