Some orthopedic surgeons are performing total ankle replacements, a procedure once disparaged as “borderline quackery,” according to the Washington Post, but is now being touted as a legitimate option for relieving arthritic pain.
Earlier techniques, involving cementing metal ankle reconstruction devices to the bone, could leave patients worse off than they were prior to surgery. Newer implants that interact with the shin bone and involve lengthening the Achilles’ tendon can create better mobility and flexibility.
Medicare generally covers the surgery, while private insurers are still skeptical of covering the $40,000 procedure. Some claim it carries a greater risk of arthritic changes in adjacent joints, an assertion disputed by surgeons performing these operations.
“When you have a fusion of any joint, you can develop arthritis of any of the adjacent joints above or below the fused joint,” said Selene Parekh, MD, a foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon at Duke Health in North Carolina. “It’s the same for the whole body, not more so in the foot and ankle.”
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John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.