Ankle Replacement

Hospitalization

Yes

Length of stay

2 to 7 Days

Anesthesia

General

Length of procedure

1 to 3 Hours

What is ankle replacement?

Total ankle replacement (also called ankle arthroplasty) is a surgical option for patients with arthritis of the ankle. This operation can relieve pain and maintain motion in the arthritic ankle joint. Arthritis can affect joints, over time, the smooth cartilage on the surface of the bones wears away. This can result in pain, inflammation, and swelling of the joints. Ankle replacement surgery is a procedure to replace this damaged joint to eliminate this pain and swelling for a long time. Arthritis does not have any kind of full treatment; all kinds of medications and procedures are just temporary and can just slow it down. But surgery can be the last (and maybe permanent) solution for this painful problem.

• Patients with osteoarthritis who are older than 50 • Patients who have a history of severe ankle injuries • Patients who have destroyed ankle joint surfaces and degenerated joints • Patients who are not significantly overweight

Before the procedure

Patients should stop taking certain medications such as Aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements prior to the surgery. They should stop smoking a few weeks before and after the surgery. They should stop drinking and eating around 6 hours before the surgery. Also, they may need additional imaging tests, like X-rays, CT scan, or MRI before the surgery.

During the procedure

After the procedure