Abstract
Total ankle arthroplasty has become an increasingly performed procedure for the treatment of ankle arthritis. Failures related to polyethylene inserts can result from uncorrected deformities or malalignment of the components. We report a case of a 63-year-old man who underwent total ankle arthroplasty for osteoarthritis of the ankle. The talar component was placed in neutral alignment. Initial postoperative recovery and rehabilitation were unremarkable. At 9 months postoperatively, plain radiographs of the ankle showed worsening varus tilt when compared with radiographs taken earlier. There was also radiographic evidence of separation of the posterior metal marker, suggestive of a fracture of the polyethylene insert. Revision surgery to correct the varus tilt and replace the polyethylene insert was performed. At operation, the polyethylene insert was found to be intact with no evidence of fracture. The posterior metal marker of the polyethylene insert was found to be extruded from the insert. Small degrees of ankle prosthesis malalignment can lead to various degrees of polyethylene liner failure, such as metal marker extrusion. This article also shows that these metal markers may not be accurate indicators of the integrity of the polyethylene insert.
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.
