[Ankle joint arthritis--etiology, diagnosis and treatment]

Ankle joint arthritis causes functional limitation and affects the quality of life many patients. It follows traumatic injuries, inflammatory joint arthritis, primary osteoarthritis, hemochromatosis and infections. Understanding the unique anatomy and biomechanics of the ankle is important for diagnosis and treatment of ankle joint pathology. The treatment of ankle joint arthritis has advanced considerably in recent years and it is still a surgical challenge. Total ankle replacement seems to be a promising form of treatment, even though current data does not demonstrate advantages over ankle joint arthrodesis.