Ankle replacement surgery… new review reveals interesting statistics

Ankle replacement surgery is still relatively new in the UK and abroad, but is increasing in popularity and numbers of operations will continue to rise as our population ages.

A recent evidence review of 89 studies involved experts investigating factors that impact on the success of total ankle replacement surgery, and is published in Foot and Ankle Surgery. Key findings include:

• After the surgery, older people reported less pain or stiffness but those older people with more traumatic arthritis experienced degeneration of nearby joints following surgery;
• When less experienced surgeons did the operation, there were more complications;
• Updated instruments and inserts deceased the chances of poor alignment of the joint replacement;
• Less bone resection reduced fracture after the surgery.

“Based on our investigation, some positive and negative factors for different clinical and radiographic outcomes were found, which should be taken into consideration in clinical practice and ankle implant design.”

Click here to read the original research.

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