Iatrogenic Chronic Ankle Instability: A Complication of Ankle Arthroscopy

A 37-year-old man developed chronic ankle instability because of the complete absence of the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments after previous ankle arthroscopy, confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Arthroscopic lateral ligament reconstruction with a gracilis tendon autograft yielded excellent outcomes, with the patient achieving stability, being pain-free, and attaining normal functional scores at 12 months postoperatively. This case highlights the importance of surgical expertise to prevent complications of the arthroscopy procedure, describing a rare complication: iatrogenic chronic ankle instability, and demonstrates the efficacy of arthroscopic ligament reconstruction using grafts in the absence of native ligaments.