PROSPECTIVE FOLLOW-UP OF A HOMOGENEOUS AND CONTINUOUS SERIES OF 42 TOTAL ANKLE ARTHROPLASTIES

Purpose: Prosthetic replacement of the ankle joint is a controversial issue. Minimally invasive noncemented third-generation implants with a third component have enabled improved clinical results and prolonged mid-term implant survival. These results authorise prosthetic implantation as an alternative to arthrodesis in selected patients. New developments in prosthesis concepts and design, aimed at overcoming the insufficient results of earlier implants, require early validation with a prospective clinical and radiological follow-up. The objective of this work was to present the mid-term results with the SALTO prosthesis implanted in 42 patients.Material and methods: Forty-two SALTO prostheses implanted between February 1997 and December 2000 were followed prospectively for two to six years. The implant design, which mimics the anatomic asymmetry of the talar dome, uses a mobile polyethylene insert and optional fibular resurfacing for optimal primary and long-term stabilisation. Data were collected prospec...