Salto Talaris fixed-bearing total ankle replacement system.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Biomedical engineering
• Prosthetics design

Background:

• The Salto prosthesis, a mobile-bearing total ankle replacement, has demonstrated success internationally.
• A fixed-bearing design offers potential advantages in specific patient populations or surgical scenarios.
• Adaptation of existing successful designs can accelerate innovation in orthopedic implants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Salto Talaris total ankle replacement, a fixed-bearing prosthesis now available in the United States.
• To describe the modifications made to the original mobile-bearing Salto design for the Salto Talaris.
• To outline the surgical technique and key considerations for the successful implantation of the Salto Talaris total ankle replacement.

Main Methods:

• Modification of the mobile-bearing Salto prosthesis to create a fixed-bearing design.
• Development of precision instrumentation for trial phase evaluation.
• Surgical technique focused on determining the functional joint axis prior to final implantation.
• Design principles emphasizing minimal bone resection and optimized component geometry.

Main Results:

• The Salto Talaris prosthesis features an anatomically designed, fixed-bearing construct.
• The surgical instrumentation allows for pre-operative determination of the functional joint axis.
• The implant design optimizes surface area, cortical bone contact, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene conformity.
• The technique aims for efficient bone preservation and precise component placement.

Conclusions:

• The Salto Talaris total ankle replacement represents an evolution of a proven prosthesis, now offering a fixed-bearing option in the US.
• The associated instrumentation and surgical technique facilitate accurate alignment and implantation.
• This approach aims to provide reliable ankle arthroplasty with attention to biomechanical principles and bone preservation.