scholarly journals Early Outcomes and Complications Following Initiation of a Total Ankle Arthroplasty Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 247301142098578
Author(s):  
Gregory Lundeen ◽  
Kaitlin C. Neary ◽  
Cody Kaiser ◽  
Lyle Jackson

Background: Surgeons who lack experience with total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) may remain hesitant to introduce this procedure owing to previously published results of high complication rates during initial cases. The purpose of the present study was to report the development of a TAA program through intermediate outcomes and complications for an initial consecutive series of TAA patients of a single community-based foot and ankle fellowship–trained orthopedic surgeon with little TAA experience using a co-surgeon with similar training and TAA exposure. Methods: The initial 20 patients following third-generation TAA with a single surgeon were reviewed. Clinical outcomes were measured and radiographs were evaluated to determine postoperative implant and ankle position. Complications were also measured including intraoperative, early (<3 months), and intermediate postoperative complications. Results: With a minimum follow-up of 2 years and average follow-up of 51 months (range 24-70 months), the mean American Orthopaedic Ankle & Foot Society Ankle-Hindfoot score was 87.7 (59-100) and VAS was 1.0 (0-5.5). All patients were improved following TAA. Radiographic evaluation demonstrated no evidence of component malalignment or ankle joint incongruity. There were no intraoperative complications nor any wound complications. Three patients returned to the operating room for placement of medial malleolar screw placement, and 1 had asymptomatic tibial component subsidence. Conclusions: Orthopedic surgeons with a proper background and updated training may be able to perform TAA with good outcomes. A TAA program was developed to define minimum training criteria to perform this procedure in our community. Our complication rate is consistent with those reported in the literature for experienced TAA centers, which contrasts previous literature suggesting increased complication rates and worse outcomes when surgeons perform initial TAAs. Utilization of an orthopedic co-surgeon was felt to be instrumental in the success of the program. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd R. Borenstein ◽  
Kapil Anand ◽  
Quanlin Li ◽  
Timothy P. Charlton ◽  
David B. Thordarson

Background: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is commonly pursued for patients with painful arthritis. Outpatient TAA are increasingly common and have been shown to decrease costs compared to inpatient surgery. However, there are very few studies examining the safety of outpatient TAA. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed 65 consecutive patients who received outpatient TAA to identify complication rates. Methods: The medical records of 65 consecutive outpatient TAA from October 2012 to May 2016 with a minimum 6-month follow-up were reviewed. All patients received popliteal and saphenous blocks prior to surgery and were managed with oral pain medication postoperatively. All received a STAR total ankle. Demographics, comorbidities, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, and perioperative complications including wound breakdown, infection, revision, and nonrevision surgeries were observed. Mean follow-up was 16.6 ± 9.1 months (range, 6-42 months). Results: There were no readmissions for pain control and 1 patient had a wound infection. The overall complication rate was 15.4%. One ankle (1.5%) had a wound breakdown requiring debridement and flap coverage. This patient thrombosed a popliteal artery stent 1 month postop. The 1 ankle (1.5%) with a wound infection occurred in a patient with diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the safety of outpatient TAA. The combination of regional anesthesia and oral narcotics provided a satisfactory experience with no readmissions for pain control and 1 wound infection. The 1 wound breakdown complication (1.5%) was attributed to arterial occlusion and not outpatient management. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 2473011420S0015
Author(s):  
Kristin C. Caolo ◽  
Scott J. Ellis ◽  
Jonathan T. Deland ◽  
Constantine A. Demetracopoulos

Category: Ankle; Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: Surgeons who perform a higher volume of total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) are known to have decreased complication rates; evidence shows that low volume centers performing TAA have decreased survivorship when compared with high volume centers. Understanding differences in outcomes for patients traveling different distances for their TAA is important for future patients deciding where to travel for their surgery. No study has previously examined differences in outcomes of patients traveling different distances to a high volume center for their TAA. This study compares preoperative and postoperative PROMIS scores for patients undergoing total ankle arthroplasty who traveled less than and more than 50 miles for their TAA. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in outcome scores based on distance traveled or estimated drive time. Methods: This study is a single center retrospective review of 162 patients undergoing primary total ankle arthroplasty between January 2016 and December 2018. We collected the primary address as listed in the patient’s medical record and used the directions feature on Google Maps to estimate driving mileage and estimated driving time from the patient’s address to the hospital. To analyze the distance patients traveled, patients were divided into two groups: <50 miles traveled (n=91) and >50 miles traveled (n=71). To analyze the estimated drive time, patients were divided into two groups: <90 minutes (n=77), >90 minutes (n=85). We collected preoperative and most recent postoperative PROMIS scores for all patients. Differences in most recent post-operative PROMIS scores between distance groups and travel time groups were assessed using multivariable linear regression models, adjusting for the pre-operative score and follow-up time. Results: We found no significant difference in post-operative PROMIS scores between the two groups when analyzed for distance traveled or for estimated travel time after adjustment for pre-operative PROMIS score and follow-up time (Table 1). The average follow-up for all 162 patients was 1.49 years. Power analysis showed that with a sample size of 110 (55 in each group), we had 81% power to detect an effect size of 4. Patients saw an increase in their Physical Function scores and a decrease in their Pain Interference and Pain Intensity scores with postoperative scores better than population means (Table 1). Overall complication rate for the <50 miles group was 17.6%, 7.7% required surgery. The >50 miles group had an overall complication rate of 24.0%, 9.9% required surgery. Conclusion: Patients traveling further distances to a high volume orthopedic specialty hospital for their total ankle arthroplasty do not have different clinical outcomes than patients traveling shorter distances. This is particularly important for patients deciding where to have their total ankle arthroplasty surgery. Patients who travel further have the opportunity to be treated at a local academic center; however our results show that outcomes do not change when traveling further for total ankle arthroplasty. [Table: see text]


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (12) ◽  
pp. 1519-1528
Author(s):  
Jonathan Day ◽  
Jaeyoung Kim ◽  
Martin J. O’Malley ◽  
Constantine A. Demetracopoulos ◽  
Jonathan Garfinkel ◽  
...  

Background: The Salto Talaris is a fixed-bearing implant first approved in the US in 2006. While early surgical outcomes have been promising, mid- to long-term survivorship data are limited. The aim of this study was to present the survivorship and causes of failure of the Salto Talaris implant, with functional and radiographic outcomes. Methods: Eighty-seven prospectively followed patients who underwent total ankle arthroplasty with the Salto Talaris between 2007 and 2015 at our institution were retrospectively identified. Of these, 82 patients (85 ankles) had a minimum follow-up of 5 (mean, 7.1; range, 5-12) years. The mean age was 63.5 (range, 42-82) years and the mean body mass index was 28.1 (range, 17.9-41.2) kg/m2. Survivorship was determined by incidence of revision, defined as removal/exchange of a metal component. Preoperative, immediate, and minimum 5-year postoperative AP and lateral weightbearing radiographs were reviewed; tibiotalar alignment (TTA) and the medial distal tibial angle (MDTA) were measured to assess coronal talar and tibial alignment, respectively. The sagittal tibial angle (STA) was measured; the talar inclination angle (TIA) was measured to evaluate for radiographic subsidence of the implant, defined as a change in TIA of 5 degrees or more from the immediately to the latest postoperative lateral radiograph. The locations of periprosthetic cysts were documented. Preoperative and minimum 5-year postoperative Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) subscales were compared. Results: Survivorship was 97.6% with 2 revisions. One patient underwent tibial and talar component revision for varus malalignment of the ankle; another underwent talar component revision for aseptic loosening and subsidence. The rate of other reoperations was 21.2% ( n = 18), with the main reoperation being exostectomy with debridement for ankle impingement ( n = 12). At final follow-up, the average TTA improved 4.4 (± 3.8) degrees, the average MDTA improved 3.4 (± 2.6) degrees, and the average STA improved 5.3 (± 4.5) degrees. Periprosthetic cysts were observed in 18 patients, and there was no radiographic subsidence. All FAOS subscales demonstrated significant improvement at final follow-up. Conclusions: We found the Salto Talaris implant to be durable, consistent with previous studies of shorter follow-up lengths. We observed significant improvement in radiographic alignment as well as patient-reported clinical outcomes at a minimum 5-year follow-up. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 948-954
Author(s):  
Noriyuki Kanzaki ◽  
Nobuaki Chinzei ◽  
Tetsuya Yamamoto ◽  
Takahiro Yamashita ◽  
Kazuyuki Ibaraki ◽  
...  

Background: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) has been developed to treat patients with end-stage ankle osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is often difficulty in treating complicated pathologies such as ankle OA with subtalar joint OA and severe talar collapse. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the short-term results and complications of TAA with total talar prosthesis, known as combined TAA, as the new techniques to treat such complicated pathology. Methods: We examined postoperative results including ankle range of motion, Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot (JSSF) scale, and complications. There were 22 patients (15 women), with mean follow-up of 34.9 (range, 24–53 months), and the mean age was 72 (range, 62–80) years. The main indications for combined TAA included osteoarthritis (18 patients), rheumatoid arthritis (3 patients), and talar osteonecrosis with osteoarthritis (one patient). Results: The mean range of motion improved from 4.0 to 14.4 degrees in dorsiflexion and from 23.8 to 32.0 degrees in plantarflexion. The JSSF scale improved from 50.5 to 91.5 points. Prolonged wound healing occurred in 3 patients, and medial malleolus fracture occurred in 4 patients. Conclusion: Combined TAA was a reliable procedure for the treatment of not only ankle OA following avascular necrosis of talus but also of degeneration of both ankle and subtalar joints. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series.


2020 ◽  
pp. 193864002091312
Author(s):  
Gregory C. Berlet ◽  
Roberto A. Brandão ◽  
Devon Consul ◽  
Pierce Ebaugh ◽  
Christopher F. Hyer

Background: Total ankle arthroplasty is a viable option for the treatment of end stage ankle arthritis. The purpose of this study is to report on the mid-term results with a cemented total ankle prosthesis, the Inbone™ II implant over a 5 year period. Methods: A retrospective, single-center chart and radiographic review of all patients with end stage ankle arthritis treated with Inbone™ II TAR) as the primary index procedure from 12/1/2012 to 3/1/2017. Clinical data were evaluated at 3 month, 6 month, 1 year and subsequent intervals for the study period. Preoperative diagnosis, pertinent patient demographics adjunctive procedures, implant associated complications, subsequent surgeries, and revisions were recorded. Results: 121 total ankles met our inclusion criteria. Patients had an INBONE™ II TAR implant placed with bone cement with a minimum of a 12 months follow up. Average age was 62.88 (range, 32-87) years, average body mass index was 32.74 (range, 21.8-56.04) kg/m2 and average follow up was 28.51(range, 12-69) months. Using the COFAS complication classification there were 14 minor, 11 moderate, and 5 major complications. 6/121 (5.0%) revisions which included: polyethylene exchange, device explant/fusion, and antibiotic spacer in situ. No complications over the course of this study ended in amputation. Conclusion: Total Ankle Arthroplasty utilizing the cemented INBONE™ II yielded good midterm results with regards to minor, moderate, and major complications. Rate of revision 6/121 (5.0%) was within the reported range with only 5 patients converted to fusion during the study period resulting in a 95% survivability at mid-term follow up. Levels of Evidence: Level IV: Retrospective case series


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher E. Gross ◽  
Samuel B. Adams ◽  
Mark Easley ◽  
James A. Nunley ◽  
James K. DeOrio

Background. Impingement may be an underreported problem following modern total ankle replacements (TARs). The etiology of impingement is unclear and likely multifactorial. Because of the lack of conservative treatment options for symptomatic impingement after TAR, surgery is often necessary. Methods. We retrospectively identified a consecutive series of 1001 primary TARs performed between January 1998 and December 2014. We identified patients who required a secondary surgery to treat soft-tissue and bony impingement by either an open or arthroscopic procedure. Functional and clinical outcomes, including secondary procedures, infections, complications, and failure rates, were recorded. Results. In all, 75 patients (7.5%) required either open (n = 49) or arthroscopic debridement for impingement after TAR; 44 patients had >12 months of follow-up, with a follow-up of 26.5 months after their debridement procedure. The mean time to the debridement procedure for all prostheses was 29.3 months, with an average of 38.7 months in STAR, 21.8 months in INBONE, and 10.5 months in Salto Talaris patients. Of the patients with more than 1 year’s follow-up from their debridement, 84.1% were asymptomatic; 9 patients (20.4%) had repeat operations after their debridement procedure. Of these, 5 patients required a repeat debridement of their medial or lateral gutters for a failure rate of 11.4%. Conclusion. Both arthroscopic and open treatment of impingement after total ankle arthroplasty are safe and effective in improving function and pain. Although the rates for revision impingement surgery are higher in arthroscopic compared with open procedures, they are not significantly so. Therefore, we recommend arthroscopic surgery whenever possible because of earlier time to weight bearing and mobility. Levels of Evidence: Level IV


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gun-Woo Lee ◽  
Keun-Bae Lee

Abstract Background: Total ankle arthroplasty has progressed as a treatment option for patients with ankle osteoarthritis. However, no studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of gender on the outcome. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate outcomes, survivorship, and complications rates of total ankle arthroplasty, according to gender differences. Methods: This study included 187 patients (195 ankles) that underwent mobile-bearing HINTEGRA prosthesis at a mean follow-up of 7.5 years (range, 4 to 14). The two groups consisted of a men’s group (106 patients, 109 ankles) and a women’s group (81 patients, 86 ankles). Average age was 64.4 years (range, 45 to 83). Results: Clinical scores on the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale for pain and disability, and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score improved and the difference was not statistically significant between the two groups at the final follow-up. There were no significant differences in complication rates and implant survivorship between the two groups. The overall survival rate was 96.4% in men and 93.4% in women at a mean follow-up of 7.5 years (p=0.621). Conclusions: Clinical outcomes, complication rates, and survivorship of total ankle arthroplasty were comparable between men and women. These results suggest that gender did not seem affect outcomes of total ankle arthroplasty in patients with ankle osteoarthritis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 102-B (7) ◽  
pp. 925-932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Gaugler ◽  
Nicola Krähenbühl ◽  
Alexej Barg ◽  
Roxa Ruiz ◽  
Tamara Horn-Lang ◽  
...  

Aims To assess the effect of age on clinical outcome and revision rates in patients who underwent total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) for end-stage ankle osteoarthritis (OA). Methods A consecutive series of 811 ankles (789 patients) that underwent TAA between May 2003 and December 2013 were enrolled. The influence of age on clinical outcome, including the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot score, and pain according to the visual analogue scale (VAS) was assessed. In addition, the risk for revision surgery that includes soft tissue procedures, periarticular arthrodeses/osteotomies, ankle joint debridement, and/or inlay exchange (defined as minor revision), as well as the risk for revision surgery necessitating the exchange of any of the metallic components or removal of implant followed by ankle/hindfoot fusion (defined as major revision) was calculated. Results A significant improvement in the AOFAS hindfoot score and pain relief between the preoperative assessment and the last follow-up was evident. Age had a positive effect on pain relief. The risk for a minor or major revision was 28.7 % at the mean follow-up of 5.4 years and 11.0 % at a mean follow-up of 6.9 years respectively. The hazard of revision was not affected by age. Conclusion The clinical outcome, as well as the probability for revision surgery following TAA, is comparable between younger and older patients. The overall revision rate of the Hintegra total ankle is comparable with other three component designs. TAA should no longer be reserved for low demand elderly patients, but should also be recognized as a viable option for active patients of younger age. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(7):925–932.


2021 ◽  
pp. 107110072110600
Author(s):  
Oliver J. Gagne ◽  
Jonathan Day ◽  
Jaeyoung Kim ◽  
Kristin Caolo ◽  
Martin J. O’Malley ◽  
...  

Background: The use of total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) in the treatment of ankle arthritis has grown substantially as advancements are made in design and surgical technique. Among the criteria guiding the choice between arthroplasty and arthrodesis, the long-term survival and postoperative outcomes are of crucial importance. Although outcomes of the INBONE I have been published, there is limited midterm survival data for the INBONE II. The purpose of this study was to determine the radiographic and patient-reported outcomes, and survivorship of this prosthesis in patients with a minimum 5-year follow-up. Methods: We retrospectively identified 51 ankles (46 patients) from 2010 to 2015 who underwent TAA with the INBONE II prosthesis at our institution. Of these, 44 cases had minimum clinical follow-up of 5 years (mean, 6.4; range 5-9). Median age was 66 years (range 42-81) and median BMI was 27.5 (range 20.1-33.0). A chart review was performed to record the incidence of revision and reoperation. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were analyzed to assess the coronal tibiotalar alignment (TTA), the talar inclination angle, and the presence of periprosthetic lucencies and cyst formation. Preoperative and minimum 5-year postoperative Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) subscales were compared. Survivorship was determined by incidence of revision, defined as removal of a metallic component. Results: The survivorship at 5 years was 98% and the rate of reoperation was 7.8% (n = 4); 2 patients underwent irrigation and debridement for infection, 1 patient underwent a medializing calcaneal osteotomy, and 1 patient underwent open gutter debridement, 1 patient underwent a revision of a subsided talar component at 3.2 years after index surgery. Average postoperative TTA was 88.6 degrees, with 42 rated as neutral (85-95 degrees), 2 varus (<85 degrees), and no valgus (>95 degrees) ankles. At final follow-up, asymptomatic periprosthetic cysts were observed in 8 patients. All FAOS domain scores improved between preoperative and final follow-up. Conclusion: At midterm follow-up, we observed significant improvement in radiographic alignment and patient-reported outcome scores for the INBONE II total ankle prosthesis. In addition, this cohort has had a relatively low reoperation rate and high survivorship. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico G. Usuelli ◽  
Camilla Maccario ◽  
Francesco Granata ◽  
Cristian Indino ◽  
Venus Vakhshori ◽  
...  

Background: Ankle arthritis is a highly limiting pathology that causes pain and functional limitation with subsequent deterioration of quality of life. With recent advances in surgical instrumentation and techniques, prosthetic replacement of the ankle has proven to be a valid alternative to arthrodesis with comparable outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical and radiological findings in a transfibular total ankle replacement with follow-up of at least 2 years. Methods: This prospective study included 89 patients who underwent transfibular total ankle arthroplasty from May 2013 to February 2016. The mean age was 53.2 ± 13.5 years. All patients were followed for at least 24 months postoperatively with an average follow-up of 42.0 ± 23.5 months. Patients were assessed clinically and radiographically preoperatively and at 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Results: At 24 months postoperatively, patients demonstrated statistically significant improvement in the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle Hindfoot Score from 33.8 ± 14.3 to 88.5 ± 6.6 ( P < .001), visual analog scale (VAS) from 80.5 ± 17.0 to 14.1 ± 9.2 ( P < .001), and Short Form-12 Physical and Mental Composite Scores from 29.9 ± 6.7 and 43.3 ± 8.6 to 47.0 ± 7.6 and 53.3 ± 8.1, respectively ( P < .001). In addition, ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion improved from 6.2 ± 5.5 and 9.6 ± 5.8 degrees to 24.2 ± 7.9 and 18.1 ± 7.6 degrees, respectively ( P < .001). Radiographically, patients demonstrated maintained neutral alignment of the ankle at 24 months. No patient demonstrated any radiographic evidence of tibial or talar lucency at final follow-up. Seven patients underwent reoperation for removal of symptomatic hardware (6 fibular plates, 1 syndesmotic screw); 2 patients experienced delayed wound healing. The first one was treated with plate removal and flap coverage. The second one required fibular plate removal. One patient developed a postoperative prosthetic infection requiring operative debridement, removal of implants, and placement of an antibiotic spacer. Conclusion: This study found that transfibular total ankle replacement was a safe and effective option for patients with ankle arthritis resulting in improvements in patient-reported outcomes, range of motion, and radiographic parameters. However, further studies are required to determine the mid- and long-term performance of these implants. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series.


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