Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A Brief Review

Abstract

Ankle fusion has long been the standard of treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis, and a successful arthroplasty has been a long sought alternative. It is a motion sparing procedure and may greatly reduce the potential for adjacent level degeneration as seen with arthrodesis. The typical candidate for arthroplasty is a healthy low demand patient, although the indications are widening as the success of the procedure has increased. Nevertheless, it is not fail-safe, technical expertise and experience are necessary to achieve a successful result. We have been treating ankle arthritis with the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (STAR) ankle replacement prosthesis for over ten years. We believe that arthroplasty will surpass arthrodesis as the standard of care for severe ankle arthritis.

Keywords

• ankle arthritis
• ankle arthroplasty
• total ankle replacement