Can bedside needle arthroscopy of the ankle be an accurate option for intra-articular delivery of injectable agents?

Table 1 Patient demographics at the time of the intervention (mean ± SD)

Parameter	Value
Age in yr (range)	46.8 ± 14.5 (20–71)
Sex
Male, n (%)	11 (46%)
Female, n (%)	13 (54%)
Indication for injection
Osteoarthritis, n (%)	20 (83%)
Kellgren-Lawrence Grade I (n)	0
Kellgren-Lawrence Grade II (n)	2
Kellgren-Lawrence Grade III (n)	10
Kellgren-Lawrence Grade IV (n)	8
(Osteo)chondral defect, n (%)	4 (17%)
Prior ankle surgery
None, n (%)	10 (42%)
Any, n (%)	14 (58%)
Multiple, n (%)	11 (46%)

Table 2 Procedure and follow-up (mean ± SD)

Parameter	Value
Accurate injections, n (%)	21 (88%)
Accuracy by indication
Kellgren-Lawrence Grade I [n accurate (% of subset)]	NA
Kellgren-Lawrence Grade II [n accurate (% of subset)]	2 (100%)
Kellgren-Lawrence Grade III [n accurate (% of subset)]	10 (100%)
Kellgren-Lawrence Grade IV [n accurate (% of subset)]	5 (62.5%)
(Osteo)chondral defect [n accurate (% of subset)]	4 (100%)
Accuracy by prior ankle surgery
None [n accurate (% of subset)]	9 (90.0%)
Any [n accurate (% of subset)]	12 (85.7%)
Multiple [n accurate (% of subset)]	10 (90.1%)
Procedure time (min)	17 ± 5
Completed follow-up, n (%)	24 (100%)
Follow-up time (median days, IQR)	14 (IQR, 14–16)
Complications, n (%)	0 (0%)

NA: Not applicable; IQR: Interquartile ranges.

Table 3 Patient reported outcome

Activity	Intervention	Follow-up	Difference (P value)
Willing to return, n (%)	24 (100%)	NA	NA
NRS of pain (0–10)
During procedure (median, IQR)	1 (0–2)	NA	NA
In rest (past 2 wk) (median, IQR)	4 (2–7)	3 (1–5)	< 0.01
Walking (past 2 wk) (median, IQR)	8 (6–9)	7 (4–8)	< 0.01

NA: Not applicable; NRS: Numeric rating scale; IQR: Interquartile ranges.