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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis with Total Ankle Replacement Through a Lateral Transfibular Approach
Published on: January 24, 2018
Novel Use of Axial Cage With Nonvascularized Fibula Autograft for Ankle Arthrodesis After Bone Loss: A Case Report
1Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, Indiana.
Case:
A 56-year-old morbidly obese woman sustained a high energy motor vehicle collision resulting in an isolated Gustilo-Anderson type IIIA open pilon fracture of the right ankle, with massive distal tibial bone loss. Limb salvage was achieved through the novel use of an off-the-shelf axial titanium spine cage combined with a nonvascularized fibula autograft and hindfoot intramedullary nail arthrodesis.
Conclusion:
This technique may offer a practical and durable alternative for limb salvage in cases of massive distal tibial bone loss, particularly in resource-constrained settings when access to custom 3D-printed implants or microvascular reconstruction is limited.
