Total ankle arthroplasty shows promise for patients with severe ankle arthritis

Patients over 70 years of age with end-stage ankle arthritis experience improvements in gait parameters after total ankle arthroplasty that are on a par with those seen in patients in their 50s, researchers announced at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Dr. Jason T. Bariteau, of Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, and associates compared outcomes in 21 older patients and 21 younger patients who underwent total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) between the years 1999 and 2010. In all cases, the procedure was performed by the same surgeon.

Total ankle arthroplasty is becoming increasingly popular for the management of end-stage anklearthritis. Given that elderly patients are the fastest growing age group in industrialized countries, it is important to determine whether older patients benefit from the procedure to the same extent as younger patients.

The investigators performed gait analysis preoperatively and at a minimum of 1 year postoperatively.

The analysis showed similar significant improvements in younger and older patients in temporal-spatial, kinematic and kinetic parameters.

While the data bolster the role of TAA for use in elderly patients with end-stage ankle arthritis, the study did not include a direct comparison of TAA with other surgical options, such as ankle arthrodesis, Dr. Bariteau pointed out.

Total ankle arthroplasty's possible advantages over ankle arthrodesis include a decrease in long-term adjacent midfoot and hindfoot arthritis and an improvement in gait metrics.

He also noted that the study did not include information on the postoperative period, duration of recovery or adverse events.