Two-Year Outcomes After Total Ankle Replacement With a Novel Fixed-Bearing Implant By a Single Surgeon Non-Inventor

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

• Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is increasingly preferred over ankle arthrodesis.
• Early TAA designs faced challenges, but modern implants show significant advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of a semiconstrained total ankle prosthesis with a fixed-bearing polyethylene insert.
• To assess the survivorship and functional improvements in patients undergoing TAA.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 40 consecutive TAA patients with a minimum 2-year follow-up.
• Analysis of demographic, social, and medical data, including concomitant procedures.
• Radiographic assessment of ankle range of motion (ROM) and clinical outcome scores (VAS, FFI, AOFAS).

Main Results:

• Mean maximum dorsiflexion of 11.8° and plantarflexion of 13.9° at 2-year follow-up.
• Significant improvements in VAS, FFI, and AOFAS scores postoperatively.
• 97.5% overall survivorship at 2 years, with only one revision surgery for polyethylene failure.

Conclusions:

• The studied semiconstrained TAA prosthesis demonstrates high survivorship and favorable functional outcomes.
• Results are consistent with existing literature on modern ankle implants.
• This prosthesis offers a viable option for patients seeking an alternative to ankle fusion.