Our Services / Total Ankle Replacement

Total Ankle Replacement services offered in Atlantis, Boynton Beach, Wellington and Boca Raton, FL

Total ankle replacements have surged in the last decade as advanced technology has produced prosthetics that accurately recreate the shape and function of this complex joint. When your ankle replacement is done by the skilled surgeons at the Orthopedic Center of Palm Beach County in Atlantis, Boynton Beach, and Wellington, Florida, your pain disappears. You regain the ankle movement needed to return to an active lifestyle. Call the nearest office today or connect online to request an appointment and learn if you qualify for a total ankle replacement.

Total Ankle Replacement Q & A

What is a total ankle replacement?

A total ankle replacement is a surgery to remove the damaged joint and replace it with prosthetic implants. The Orthopedic Center of Palm Beach County team primarily performs ankle replacement surgery when advanced arthritis causes substantial joint damage.

Osteoarthritis develops as years of movement wear down the cartilage protecting the ends of bones in the joint. Though you might slow the damage with treatment, osteoarthritis is a progressive disease. Eventually, cartilage loss leads to bone and joint damage.

Rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects your hands and feet, including your ankle. This autoimmune disease develops when your immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues lining the joint, causing inflammation and bone erosion.

When would I need a total ankle replacement?

Your foot and ankle specialist at the Orthopedic Center of Palm Beach County recommends total ankle replacements based on your pain level, ability to perform daily tasks, and treatment history.

They might recommend conservative treatments you haven’t tried or surgery to preserve the joint and postpone needing a joint replacement.

However, if you’ve tried all other treatments, you still have severe pain and stiffness, and your symptoms prevent you from everyday movement, you could be a candidate for a total ankle replacement.

What happens during a total ankle replacement?

During your surgery, your ankle specialist removes the damaged portion of your lower shinbone (where it joins the ankle) and the talus, the large bone in your ankle that meets with the shinbone to form the joint.

Then they attach one metal prosthetic component to the tibia, another to the talus, and place a strong plastic piece between them. The plastic replaces cartilage, allowing the new joint to move smoothly when you walk.

Your new ankle recreates the original joint, relieving your pain while restoring natural ankle movement.

Ankle replacement surgery takes about 90 minutes. Some patients will have outpatient surgery and go home the same day, while others need to stay in the hospital. After you’re discharged, put no weight on the ankle for six weeks.

Don’t put off medical care to ease your ankle pain and stiffness. Call the Orthopedic Center of Palm Beach County today or request an appointment online.