Total ankle replacement in patients with end-stage ankle osteoarthritis: clinical results and kinetic gait analysis.

Background: Total ankle arthroplasty is being used more frequently as an alternative for arthrodesis in final stages of ankle osteoarthritis. However, there are few studies which describe the biomechanics of gait of these patients.

Methods: Between March 2006 and May 2011, 17 patients (n=18 ankles) suffering end-stage osteoarthritis of the ankle who underwent an ankle replacement (HINTEGRA) were evaluated retrospectively. We evaluated clinical, radiological and biomechanical gait parameters using the NedAMH/IBV dynamometric platform.

Results: At last follow-up (average: 37 months), the AOFAS score improved from 31 to 83 with a high rate of satisfaction (83.3%). Kinetic gait parameters were more similar to a healthy ankle. We detected a radiolucent line in 8 patients (44%) without any subsidence case.

Conclusions: Our study showed a high rate of satisfaction and biomechanics of the gait similar to a healthy ankle. The complication rate was analogous to those previously published in the literature.