Ankle pain is often related to arthritis which may be caused by a prior accident or instability of the ankle. 
In younger patients with less severe symptoms this can be managed with keyhole surgery and a tidy up of the joint and management of cartilage defects, but in more severe cases the surgical options are a fusion or replacement.Â
Evolving techniques, increased accuracy
With progressive technology, more accurate implant positioning, and more data available, we are more reproducible with results we can achieve with ankle replacements.
Like hips and knees, we utilise 3-dimensional planning. For ankle replacements we create 3D printed models that are custom made for your joint. We use these in surgery with intra-operative x-rays to confirm everything lines up before any bone cuts are made. There are different designs of ankle replacements depending on the amount of bone support required, and stemmed longer implants are used in ankles with softer bone.
The aim with any joint replacement is accurate implant positioning to deliver optimal outcomes, and this technique utilise several methods to assist this.
Ankle Fusion.
An ankle fusion sticks the bones together with screws and a plate, positioning the ankle at the appropriate position to the ground allowing mobility with reduced pain.Â
Most people have concerns regarding walking awkwardly with an ankle fusion, but patients walk almost imperceptibly following a successful fusion. Whilst the natural thought is that a fusion must be a worse functional outcome than a replacement, this hasn’t been borne out in the literature, and delivers successful outcomes in the majority of patients.
Which option is right for me?
There are pros and cons to both approaches and several factors come into play, such as bone quality, your ankle alignment, arthritis in surrounding joints, your age and activity levels, as well as personal preferences. Naturally any major operation has risks as well as benefits, so we will chat to you in detail regarding your options if you have end stage ankle arthritis.
