http://www.inbone.com/PatientDocs/PatientEd.pdf

The Foot and Ankle Institute of New England is very happy to announce that we are currently performing total ankle joint replacement surgery. The Foot and Ankle Institute of New England is one of the few surgical groups in whole United States to offer this procedure. We use the Inbone Total Ankle System for the correction of painful ankle joints damaged by rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and trauma. This procedure allows patients who previously had no other option for pain relief in their ankle, other than amputation or fusion, to enjoy an excellent quality of life with near pain-free full range of motion in the ankle.

Surgery to replace the ankle joint with an artificial joint (called ankle arthroplasty) is becoming more common. This operation can reduce the pain from arthritis of the ankle. Recent advances in the design of the artificial ankle and changes in the way the operation is performed have made artificial ankle replacement a growing alternative to ankle fusion for the treatment of ankle arthritis.

The ankle joint is made up of three bones: the lower end of the tibia (shinbone), the fibula (the small bone of the lower leg), and the talus, the bone that fits into the socket formed by the tibia and fibula. The talus sits on top of the calcaneus (the heelbone). The talus moves mainly in one direction. It works like a hinge to allow your foot to move up and down.

Ligaments on both sides of the ankle joint help hold the bones together. Many tendons cross the ankle to move the ankle and the toes. (Ligaments connect bone to bone, while tendons connect muscle to bone.) The large Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle is the most powerful tendon in the foot. It connects the calf muscles to the heelbone and gives the foot the power for walking, running, and jumping.

Inside the joint, the bones are covered with a slick material called articular cartilage. Articular cartilage is the material that allows the bones to move smoothly against one another in the joints of the body. The cartilage lining is about one-quarter of an inch thick in the ankle. It is soft enough to allow for shock absorption but tough enough to last a lifetime, as long as it is not injured.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the ankle are pain and reduced movement. The pain is typically aching and makes walking difficult. Certain movements may cause a grinding or catching sensation as the arthritic bone surfaces move against one another. The ankle joint may swell, especially after activity Bone spurs, or outgrowths, may form around the edges of the joint and can also be a source of pain and swelling. The benefit of an artificial joint is to ease the symptoms of ankle osteoarthritis and provide you with a mobile joint.

The INBONE Total Ankle represents a new generation of motion-preservation implants for extremties.