How Much Do We Know About Total Ankle Arthroplasty in 2014? Commentary on an article by Robin M. Queen, PhD, et al.: "Patient-Reported Outcomes, Function, and Gait Mechanics After Fixed and Mobile-Bearing Total Ankle Replacement".

Abstract

Of the many procedures performed by orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons, few can rival the patient satisfaction, pain relief, and improvement in quality of life and function obtained from a successful total ankle arthroplasty. In stark contrast, some of the most devastating complications, including below-the-knee amputation, can result from failed/infected total ankle arthroplasties. When advising prospective patients about total ankle arthroplasty, we depend on peer-reviewed literature to help develop a treatment algorithm for procedures and implant selection. Queen et al. provide a well-written and designed prospective analysis of patients who received a mobile-bearing Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (STAR) or fixed-bearing Salto Talaris implant. The authors concluded that, at the two-year follow-up evaluation, both groups had significant improvement in walking speed, results of functional tests, patient-reported outcomes, and vertical ground reaction forces. The authors described subtle significant differences between the fixed and mobile-bearing groups. Specifically, the fixed-bearing group had a greater increase in peak plantar flexion moment and the Short Form-36 …