By now, most of us know one person or another who has had a knee or hip replacement. What you might not know, is, as these procedures become more common, the frontier of joint replacement has expanded to include shoulder replacements. And even more recently, ankle joint replacements have become available.
Up until this point, ankle fusion, or ankle arthrodesis has been the surgery of choice for those who suffer from debilitating ankle pain due to arthritis or prior ankle injury. The downfall of this procedure has been that the bones of the ankle are fused using metal plates and screws. The end product is a joint that is less flexible than the normal ankle. In turn, this puts pressure on other joints of the foot, leading to the possibility that arthritis will develop in those joints.
Ankle replacement joints were approved by the FDA in 2012. The advantage to using them is that the post operative ankle function is more like a normal ankle, allowing the patient improved function rather than rigidity.
It is advised that anyone considering total ankle arthroplasty(TAA) seek out a surgeon who has a wealth of experience in the field. This is a relatively new procedure, and as it gains popularity, the field of experts will surely grow!
Sources:Newswise;AOFAS.org; Wikimedia
(originally posted March 2 2015)
Up until this point, ankle fusion, or ankle arthrodesis has been the surgery of choice for those who suffer from debilitating ankle pain due to arthritis or prior ankle injury. The downfall of this procedure has been that the bones of the ankle are fused using metal plates and screws. The end product is a joint that is less flexible than the normal ankle. In turn, this puts pressure on other joints of the foot, leading to the possibility that arthritis will develop in those joints.
Ankle replacement joints were approved by the FDA in 2012. The advantage to using them is that the post operative ankle function is more like a normal ankle, allowing the patient improved function rather than rigidity.
It is advised that anyone considering total ankle arthroplasty(TAA) seek out a surgeon who has a wealth of experience in the field. This is a relatively new procedure, and as it gains popularity, the field of experts will surely grow!
Sources:Newswise;AOFAS.org; Wikimedia
(originally posted March 2 2015)
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