How is total ankle replacement different from traditional ankle replacement procedure?
Dr. Donley: The traditional way to treat ankle arthritis through the years has been an ankle fusion. It has been the mainstay of treatment for people who suffer from ankle arthritis. An ankle fusion is when you would fuse the two bones of the ankle together so they would not grind or cross each other and create the pain an arthritic joint creates. An ankle replacement is different than ankle fusion because, instead of locking up those two bones, you replace the end of each bone and, therefore, allow the patient to maintain normal mobility of that ankle joint and at the same time give them pain-free function as an ankle fusion has traditionally done. What are the treatment options available now for patients with ankle arthritis? Dr. Donley: There are many options available for people with ankle arthritis. Often times, people can be treated without an operation at all and you can do things such as exercise, weight loss and braces. When it comes time for surgery, there are many options av
