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ankle replacement or ankle fusion?

Posted , 5 users are following.

blackbird80
blackbird80

Hello

Im a 37 year old with ankle athritis, just had ayear ago an ankle distraction but it didjt work for me, so now i have to decide between a fusion or a TAR.

I dont really want to have it fused so i would love to talk to someone who have had the same problem and what decision they made and how are they feeling now.

Thank you all!

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • RichardKen
    RichardKen blackbird80

    Posted

    If you plan on a TAR it is essential that the surgeon has done a lot of recent successful TAR surgeries. Do not go with someone with less experience as you are very likely to suffer and a revision is going to require considerably more experience.A fusion is far more straight forward and requires less experience.

    I'm speaking as someone who had a TAR that five years later had to be revised. I'm twelve weeks post revision.

    Cheers Richard

  • Morrismanc007
    Morrismanc007 blackbird80

    Posted

    I went for the fusion and it hasn’t been an easy road so to speak, my movement is great but I have worse pain post fusion. I’m currently waiting to have the metal work taken out as on my latest ct it shows the screws have gone too far into my subtalar joint. 

    For me it was an easy choice to make as nothing more could be offered, my ankle was too bad. To be honest the fusion was my 7th op and I had had enough of ortho surgery, I wanted a few yrs of ortho free intervention. 

    I think that Richard is right, if you go for a TAR then find a surgeon that knows his/her stuff. My consultant has done a lot of them but always says he wouldn’t offer it as an op to younger patients until the operation is a little more established; a bit like hip replacements are now established and are routinely offered to younger patients. 

    I’d say read up, know your stuff, be fully informed of the pros and cons as there are these with any surgery. Find a decent surgeon and talk everything through with him/her. 

    Hope everything goes well for you. 

    Claire. Xx

  • amanda91058
    amanda91058 blackbird80

    Posted

    Interested to see how you make out. I broke my ankle in three places and also broke my leg in January of 2018 had ORIF surgery the next day on my ankle. I was told by my surgeon this month that I have arthritis in my ankle and I am also 37. The only other time I injured my ankle was a bad sprain when I was 14, but had absolutely no arthritis symptoms until after my most recent injury.
  • david31086
    david31086 blackbird80

    Posted

    I am also in the same situation already cancelled Infinity ankle replacement for August out of fear. I would like to be copied on your replies anyone ?

     

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