Abstract
Recently, the progress in techniques and in projecting new prosthetic designs has allowed increasing indications for total ankle replacement (TAR) as treatment for ankle osteoarthritis. This retrospective work comprehended 39 subjects aged between 47 and 79 years old. The patients, observed for at least 12 months (mean follow up of 18.2 ± 4.1 months), have been evaluated according to clinical and radiological parameters, both pre- and post-operatively. The AOFAS and VAS score significantly improved, respectively, from 46.2 ± 4.8 to 93.9 ± 4.1 and from 7.1 ± 1.1 to 0.7 ± 0.5 (p value < 0.05). At the final evaluation, the mean plantarflexion passed from 12.2° ± 2.3° to 18.1° ± 2.4° (p value < 0.05) and dorsiflexion from a pre-operative mean value of 8.7° ± 4.1° to 21.7° ± 5.4° post-operatively (p value < 0.05). This study found that this new total ankle replacement design is a safe and effective procedure for patients effected by end-stage ankle osteoarthritis. Improvements have been demonstrated in terms of range of motion, radiographic parameters and patient-reported outcomes. However, further studies are needed to assess the long-term performance of these prostheses.
Highlights
Accepted: 21 May 2021Ankle osteoarthritis (AO) constitutes a large burden to society and it is a leading cause of chronic disability in an increasing part of the world’s population [1]
It is secondary to traumas, it occurs in younger individuals, and it is associated with obesity, metabolic disease, chronic inflammatory joint diseases, septic arthritis and anatomical pathological variations that can be responsible for biomechanical disfunctions
The data of 40 consecutive patients effected by high-grade ankle osteoarthritis and treated with primary total ankle replacement (TAR) through the anterior approach
Summary
Ankle osteoarthritis (AO) constitutes a large burden to society and it is a leading cause of chronic disability in an increasing part of the world’s population [1]. This pathological entity presents nonspecific symptoms of stiffness, swelling, and pain. The first treatment line for AO is represented by non-operative options, such as weight loss, physical therapy, bracing, orthoses, pharmacological treatments, corticosteroid injections, and visco-supplementation; if these measures prove to be ineffective, a surgical treatment must be considered [2]. Thanks to advances in the use of materials and techniques, new prosthetic designs are always being designed for the market. Advances have been made to improve implantation techniques and provide more sophisticated surgical instrumentation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
