Is Total Ankle Replacement Good for Ankle Arthritis?

End-stage ankle arthritis is characterized by complete loss of cartilage and "bone-on-bone" contact in the ankle joint resulting in pain and stiffness. so, the treatment needs to be effective in relieving pain and improving the joint function. The standard treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis is arthrodesis using plates and screws to fuse the ankle bones into a single piece. In recent times, total ankle replacement is becoming an alternative to arthrodesis, where a prosthesis is used to replace the deteriorated ankle joint.

To know the long-term application of total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) and ankle arthrodesis (AA), Dr. Sangeorzan and colleagues compared the outcomes of the two procedures in 517 patients with end-stage ankle arthritis at six medical centres.

"Both established treatments for end-stage ankle arthritis are effective at pain relief and improved patient-reported outcomes," according to the research by Bruce Sangeorzan MD, and colleagues at the University of Washington and VA Puget Sound Health Care System.

The results of the study published in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery shows that long-term results four years postoperatively were better for patients undergoing TAA compared with AA with improved function of knee joints for daily activities.

The findings of the study is helpful in planning stage when treating for severe ankle arthritis and further research on the rates and risk factors for revision surgery for the two procedures with a longer follow-up period is required.



Source-Eurekalert