When is an ankle replacement the right thing to do?

Depends: After all other conservative therapy has been used and the pain and stiffness become a limiting factor in your day to day life.

Pain/limitations: Like any elective orthopaedic surgery, pain and functional limitations are the main decision making factors for surgery. It is an option for the proper patient (age, health, deformity, size, activity demands, etc.) with advanced ankle arthritis.

Depends on pt. goals: Ankle fusion remains the more common surgery at this point. However, total ankle replacement is becoming more popular. Please visit www.Orthodoc.Aaos.Org/foot ankle.

Painful mobile ankle: When the pain and disability of a painful arthritic ankle no longer is tolerated by a sufferer an ankle fusion or replacement should be considered. Best candidate for an ankle replacement is a patient with a painful ankle arthritic that has some motion remaining. An state of the art ankle replacement will relieve pain and maintain or improve the motion. If it fails an ankle fusion can be done.