Introduction: Total ankle prostheses (TAP’s) are implanted for end stage cartilage damage especially in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) or post-traumatic arthritis. Little is known about the long term survival of these prostheses in patients with RA and JIA. In this study we examined the outcome of TAP in these patients.

Patients and methods: Between 1994 and 2004 85 TAP’s were implanted in 58 cases (10 males and 48 females) with RA (n=53) or juvenile chronic arthritis (n=5). The records of all patients were reviewed. Every patient was invited for a visit to our outpatient clinic for a history taking, a physical examination and a Kofoed ankle score (a clinical score for ankle function ranging from 0 to 100) was obtained.

Results: The record of every patient was available for review. Two patients had died (cause of death was unrelated to the surgery), and 56 patients could be reexamined. A perioperative fracture (8 medial 3 lateral and 2 tibial) occurred in 13 cases. The fractures were fixed in the same operation and healed without complications; none of these prostheses needed a reintervention. After a mean follow up of 2.7 years (range 1 to 9 years) two patients died with the prosthesis in situ, one patient underwent an above knee amputation for infected arthroplasties of ankle and knee and four prostheses were removed because of loosening or malfunctioning of the prosthesis and arthrodeses were performed. The other 51 cases were analysed and showed a mean Kofoed ankle score of 72.8 (SD=15.8). This score is similar to scores obtained from patients receiving ankle arthroplasties for non-rheumatic indications.

Conclusions: Placement of total ankle prostheses in patients with RA shows good medium term results. The intra-operative fracture rate is high, but does not affect the outcome; none of the failed arthroplasties was due to a preoperative fracture.