Emerging Era of Total Ankle Replacement in India: A Case Report and Literature Analysis

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

End-stage ankle arthritis is a debilitating condition, with pain affecting activities of daily living.Total ankle replacement (TAR) has emerged as a significant advancement in the treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis, as an alternative to traditional ankle arthrodesis surgery.Herein, we present a case of a 51-year-old female with ankle and subtalar arthritis.She underwent a staged subtalar fusion, followed by ankle replacement.One year after the surgery, the patient reported high satisfaction, with decreased visual analog scale (VAS) score from 8 to 1 and increased American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score from 22 to 80.The prospects for TAR are encouraging, as ongoing research aims to enhance implant materials and designs.Continued biomechanical studies are expected to improve our understanding of ankle kinetics and kinematics, leading to the creation of more durable and functional implants.Current trends in management of ankle arthritis is seeing a change toward joint replacement option rather than ankle fusion to simulate a more natural walking, with similar pain relief being provided by both the surgeries.With the advent of 3D printing and custom implants, there is potential for even better patient-specific outcomes.