An evaluation of the total ankle replacement in the modern era: a narrative review

Total ankle replacement has become an increasingly popular surgical procedure for treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis. Though ankle arthrodesis has historically been considered the gold standard treatment, advancements in implant design, functional outcomes, and survivorship have made total ankle replacement a compelling alternative. Particularly, in the past 20 years, total ankle replacement has undergone tremendous innovation, and the field of research in this procedure continues to grow. In this review, we aim to summarize the history, evolution, advancements, and future directions of total ankle replacement as described through implant design, indications, surgical procedures, complications, and outcomes.

Literature searches were conducted in PubMed to identify relevant articles published prior to March 2023 using the following keywords: "total ankle replacement", "total ankle arthroplasty", and "total ankle".

Total ankle replacement has demonstrated significant improvements in surgical technique, implant design, survivorship, and clinical and functional outcomes in the modern era. The procedure reports high patient satisfaction, low complication rates, and improved functional abilities that challenge the current gold standard treatment for ankle arthritis.

Though there are areas of improvement for total ankle replacement, the procedure demonstrates promising outcomes for patients with end-stage ankle arthritis to improve pain and functional abilities. Research studies continue to explore various the facets of total ankle replacement, including outcomes, risk factors, novel techniques and modalities, and complications, to direct future innovation and to optimize patient results.