Ankle Replacement Surgery For ankle Arthritis

Ankle arthritis is a debilitating disease that affects millions of people. There are 3 primary ways that one becomes affected with ankle arthritis.  1- post traumatic arthritis- This is a form of arthritis where one end up with a stiff painful ankle after an injury of some sort to ones ankle. It can become painful months or years after an ankle injury. 2- Osteoarthritis- This is a form of joint degeneration that stems from wear and tear of the ankle joint as one ages.  The causes are not fully understood, there are genetic components, women tend to be affected more than men and weight can be a cause. One is then left with a stiff painful ankle. 3- Rheumatoid arthritis-  Is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder that causes erosion of the joint and can leave one with an arthritic joint. There are many other forms of arthritis that can leave someone with a painful stiff joint such as Gout and infectious arthritis

1. STAR Ankle X-Ray

At the Advanced foot and ankle center of San Diego we have been using the STAR ankle replacement device as an alternative to ankle joint fusions.  1. Fusion vs STAR

Joint Replacement

•Enables motion at the joint
•Provides predictable pain relief (comparable to fusion)
•Can correct significant deformities of the ankle
•Moderate ‘non-weight bearing’ healing time (2-6 weeks)
•6% revision rate @ 5 years2
• May require device replacement (90% survivability of implant at 10 years)3
 Fusions
•Locks ankle joint at fixed position
•Provides predictable pain relief
•Can correct significant deformities of the ankle
•Prolonged ‘non-weight bearing’ healing time (2-4 months)
•10% non-union rate4
•May lead to arthritis in other joints of foot

The star ankle has been on the market over 19 years and has been placed in over 15,000 patients with excellent results. This procedure is not for everyone so feel free to contact us for an appointment to see if you are a candidate for and ankle replacement.