Ankle Replacement

Ankle Arthritis, just like any other arthritis, is a painful and debilitating condition. Over time, the pain will tend to progress until it becomes severe and disabling.
Ankle arthritis, can be managed non surgically for a period of time. The time to progress to surgery are when the non surgical options are no longer working. This often involves:

• Physiological ageing. This refers to an activity level that is appropriate only for an older person
• Inability to keep up with their wife, husband, partner and friends
• Inability to sleep
• Using pain medication dangerously
• Feeling disabled
• Poor quality of life

Ankle Arthritis can be surgically managed by Fusion or Ankle Replacement. Dr Kaplan will provide the information that allows patients to make an informed choice between the options.

Traditionally the only surgical option for ankle arthritis was a fusion of the joint:

• Fusion remains a good operation
• Fusion relieves pain and thus restores function
• However fusion is not perfect as it doesn’t restore movement for the joint
• When the ankle is fused, other joints can fail later meaning another fusion later