Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 26, 2026
09:01
Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis with Total Ankle Replacement Through a Lateral Transfibular Approach
Published on: January 24, 2018
[Complications in total ankle arthroplasty: a meta analysis]
Hong-mou Zhao1, Yun-feng Yang, Guang-rong Yu
1Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Zhonghua Wai Ke Za Zhi [Chinese Journal of Surgery]
|December 16, 2011
Summary
A review of ankle replacement surgeries found aseptic loosening, infection, and malalignment are the main causes of implant failure. Surgeons and patients must be diligent during and after total ankle arthroplasty to minimize these risks.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic surgery
- Biomaterials science
- Medical device engineering
Context:
- Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is an option for end-stage ankle arthritis.
- Second and third-generation prostheses aim to improve TAA outcomes.
- Complication rates and implant failure are critical measures of TAA success.
Purpose:
- To compile data on complications from second and third-generation ankle prostheses.
- To identify high-grade complications leading to implant failure in TAA.
- To provide a meta-analytic summary of TAA complications and failure rates.
Summary:
- A meta-analysis of 35 studies (4395 implants) identified aseptic loosening (12.51%), intra-operative bone fracture (11.97%), and bony impingement (11.27%) as the most frequent complications.
- High-grade complications leading to implant failure included aseptic loosening (45.00%), infection (33.00%), and malalignment (29.00%).
- The pooled mean failure rate for TAA was 10.98%, with the STAR implant showing a pooled mean failure rate of 14.20%.
Impact:
- Highlights critical complications like aseptic loosening, infection, and malalignment in TAA.
- Emphasizes the need for surgical precision and patient adherence to rehabilitation.
- Informs future implant design and surgical techniques to improve TAA longevity and patient outcomes.
