Foot and ankle arthritis can be a painful, uncomfortable, and debilitating condition, whether it’s moderate or severe. If you or someone you love has experienced foot or ankle arthritis, you know how troublesome it can be.
The most common causes for foot and ankle arthritis include:
- Wear and tear (osteoarthritis)
- Post-traumatic or post-injury arthritis
- Inflammatory arthritis
Symptoms include pain, swelling, stiffness, limited range of motion, and trouble walking. But those are just the immediate symptoms. When you can’t walk without pain due to ankle and foot arthritis, you have trouble working, or simply moving, which can lead to weight gain, weight-related problems, and even depression.
It’s a bad situation that can spiral out of control without proper treatment.
If you’re reading this, you may have tried conservative, non-invasive foot and ankle arthritis treatment options, including physical therapy, bracing, pain medications, and injections.
Unfortunately, these non-invasive methods might have failed to address your issues, leaving you not only in considerable pain and discomfort, but frustrated and feeling hopeless as well.
At the Orthopedic Institute of North Texas, we’re here to help. Before you consult a specialist or consider surgical treatment options for your foot and ankle arthritis, we’re here to provide you an in-depth look at your options, specifically total ankle replacement and total talus replacement procedures.
Whether your foot and ankle arthritis is moderate or severe, here’s your guide on what to know before surgery, and what to expect after.
Do I need surgery for foot and ankle arthritis?
First things first: are you a good candidate for surgery for foot or ankle arthritis?
One of the biggest indicators that the answer is “yes” is when non-surgical treatments (such as physical therapy or pain medications) have failed to relieve your symptoms.
That alone is enough reason to speak to an orthopedic surgeon before the situation gets worse, and explore surgical timing options.
Your orthopedic surgeon can determine how severe or advanced your foot or ankle arthritis is using imaging, such as a CT scan. If there is significant bone-on-bone grinding, bone collapse, or joint deformity, orthopedic surgery may be your best option for relieving pain, restoring mobility, and improving your quality of life.
What are my surgical treatment options for foot or ankle surgery?
The most common procedures are:
- Arthroscopy (keyhole surgery): A minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an arthroscope (including a lens, light source, and video camera) is inserted into the ankle joint to evaluate and treat your condition.
- Arthrodesis (joint fusion): The surgical fusion of bones that form the ankle joint.
- Replacement: Replacing the ankle joint or talus bone.
While arthroscopy or arthrodesis may be an appropriate option for your foot or ankle arthritis, for this blog we’ll be taking a deeper dive into replacement procedures:
- Total Ankle Replacement
- Total Talus Replacement
What is Total Ankle Replacement Surgery?
Total Ankle Joint Replacement Surgery, also known as total ankle arthroplasty, is removing the damaged ankle joint and replacing it with an artificial implant.
This procedure is used for patients with severe, end-stage arthritis that has not responded to non-surgical treatments. However, it is also available for patients with good bone quality and stable ligaments, which is why early consultation with your orthopedic surgeon is so important.
Total Ankle Joint Replacement Surgery has many benefits, including:
- Relieving pain
- Restoring motion
- Allowing a more natural walking pattern compared to arthrodesis (fusion)
While recovery time varies, patients typically can return to their normal routine within 6-12 weeks, while full recovery takes between 6-12 months.
It’s important to note that in 90% of cases, the replacement implant lasted ten years, so a future replacement procedure may be required down the road.
What is Total Talus Replacement Surgery?
Total Talus Replacement Surgery is surgically removing the talus bone and replacing it with a custom, 3D-printed, patient-specific implant. Before the procedure, the team will make a 3D model of your talus using a CT scan of your foot and ankle. This scan will ensure your replacement talus matches your specific foot and ankle anatomy.
This procedure is recommended for patients with severe talus damage, usually resulting from talar avascular necrosis, also known as talar AVN (talus bone tissue dies due to a loss of blood supply).
Total Talus Replacement Surgery has many benefits, including:
- Relieving pain
- Restoring ankle structure and joint motion
- Providing a personalized implant design
- Offering an alternative to arthrodesis (fusion)
Recovery time varies, but can take several months. Most patients can return to wearing regular shoes and resuming limited activities within eight weeks, while full recovery can take between 6-12 months.
Similar to Total Ankle Replacement, the talus implant typically lasts at least 10 years in 90% of cases, so a replacement implant may be needed in the future.
What are the big differences between Total Ankle Replacement and Total Talus Replacement Surgery?
While Total Ankle Replacement Surgery and Total Talus Replacement Surgery are frequently performed to treat foot and ankle arthritis, they are two very different procedures. In fact, many patients receive both procedures, depending on the extent of their joint and bone damage.
The main difference can be seen in their names; while Total Ankle Replacement Surgery replaces the ankle joint, Total Talus Replacement Surgery replaces the talus bone.
Patients with end-stage ankle arthritis (particularly osteoarthritis) are typically the best candidates for Total Ankle Replacement Surgery. Patients with talar avascular necrosis, or with talus bone-related issues due to ankle arthritis, are good candidates for Total Talus Replacement Surgery.
Again, it is oftentimes not of case or “either/or,” but “both/and,” as many patients can benefit tremendously from both procedures, especially if irreparable damage to the talus bone has occurred. However, to avoid needing Total Talus Replacement Surgery, it’s important to consult with an orthopedic surgeon as soon as possible, before ankle arthritis can damage the bones.
What to expect after surgery.
The overnight hospital stay for Total Ankle Replacement Surgery is no more than one night, while it could last between 3-5 days for Total Talus Replacement Surgery.
With both procedures, your orthopedic surgeon will recommend immobilization with a boot, cast, or splint for several weeks, even months. During this time, your surgeon will give you instruction on gradual progression to greater weight bearing.
It is important for your recovery to participate in physical therapy, as it allows you to gain strength, mobility, and confidence following your surgical procedure.
While every person is different, most patients can begin weight bearing by around ten weeks (two months), and return to daily activities like walking and standing between 3-6 months. Most patients are at least 75% recovered by six months, with most being fully recovery by a year.
Now that you know about foot and ankle arthritis surgery, what comes next?
Whether it’s a Total Ankle Replacement or Total Talus Replacement, your feet are in good hands at OINT.
Dr. Leroy Butler is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon in foot and ankle surgery with more than 14 years’ experience, including specialization in Total Ankle Replacement and Total Talus Replacement Surgery. Dr. Butler’s skills are supported by our state-of-the-art advanced imaging and customized, 3D-printing technology. Additionally, our support staff has vast experience in advanced ankle reconstruction, as well as a commitment to treating patients with customized, compassionate care. Because we don’t just see your foot and ankle arthritis; we see the whole person, and are here to support your dedicated drive to get better.
From foot and ankle, to neck and shoulder, and everywhere in between, we have helped hundreds of patients to relieve pain, restore movement, and get back their quality of life.
Now it’s your turn.
With multiple convenient locations around the North Texas area, our expert team is standing by to provide solutions to your foot and ankle arthritis. Please contact us to schedule a consultation to see whether you’re a candidate for Total Ankle Replacement or Total Talus Replacement Surgery.
Living with painful foot and ankle arthritis isn’t your only option.
We can help you get back on your feet again. So take the first step, and schedule an appointment with OINT today.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can ankle arthritis be cured?
While ankle arthritis cannot be cured, there are various non-invasive and surgical treatment options, including physical therapy, pain medication, as well as Total Ankle Replacement or Total Talus Replacement surgeries. - How long does ankle or talus replacement surgery take?
Total Ankle Replacement Surgery typically takes between 2-3 hours, while Total Talus Replacement Surgery takes 1-3 hours. - What are the risks of ankle replacement surgery?
As with any major surgery, there are potential risks and complications, including infection, dislocation of the ankle, damage to nerves or blood vessels, blood clots (DVT or deep venous thrombosis), loosening of artificial components, failure to relieve pain, instability, and stiffness. - How long do implants last?
Both ankle and talus implants typically last up to ten years.