This procedure is becoming the treatment of choice for patients requiring arthroplasty, replacing the conventional use of arthrodesis, i.e. fusion of the bones.
In the following decade, the disappointing results of long-term follow-up clinical studies [2][3] of the pioneering designs has left ankle arthrodesis as the surgical treatment of choice for these patients.
More modern designs have produced better results, contributing to a renewed interest in total ankle arthroplasty over the past decade.
This meniscal bearing should allow full congruence at the articular surfaces in all joint positions in order to minimize wear and deformation of the components.
Further outcome instruments include radiographic assessment of component stability and migration, and the assessment of its functionality in daily life using gait analysis or videofluoroscopy; the latter is a tool for three-dimensional measuring of the position and orientation of implanted prosthetic components at the replaced joints.