What is Ankle Arthritis?
- Ankle arthritis is most often the result of gradual joint degeneration following trauma. The symptoms include pain and stiffness in the ankle joint, and in many cases, the way you walk (your gait) is negatively impacted. Non-operative treatment usually consists of rest, activity modification, NSAID’s, injection, and sometimes bracing.
Surgical treatments include joint preservation ankle distraction surgery, ankle fusion, and ankle replacement. While fusion and joint replacement can be effective treatments, both have limitations. Namely fusion leads to loss of ankle motion and puts excessive force on adjacent joints of the foot which can lead to premature arthritis and pain. While ankle replacement does preserve ankle motion, a lot of ankle bone must be removed to insert the implant and the longevity is not known.
Dr. S. Robert Rozbruch is an expert in joint preservation surgery with ankle distraction. This is a good conservative treatment that has been very effective in his hands and does not burn bridges for the future.
Preparing for Surgery
Ankle Distraction Surgery
- Ankle Distraction: Patient Education – PDF
- Ankle Distraction Presentation at Stryker – PDF
- Ankle Distraction on HSS.edu
- Dr. Robert Rozbruch discusses ankle distraction surgery and answers the questions a patient may have.
Ankle Fusion Surgery
- Dr. Robert Rozbruch shares information about ankle fusion surgery, why the surgery is done, and the surgical process.
Complex Ankle Fusion Surgery
- In this video, Dr. Robert Rozbruch informs patients about this type of surgery and answers common questions.
Post-Surgery Education
- One patient’s list of tips for ankle arthritis surgery
- A patient’s guide to pin care
Ankle Distraction Adjustment
In this brief video, Dr. Austin Fragomen discusses ankle distraction arthroplasty and adjusting the external fixator.