The last decade has seen a considerable increase
in the use of in total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) to treat patients
with end-stage arthritis of the ankle. However, the longevity of
the implants is still far from that of total knee and hip arthroplasties. The aim of this review is to outline a diagnostic and treatment
algorithm for the painful TAA to be used when considering revision
surgery. Cite this article:
Polyethylene wear is the main factor leading to periprosthetic osteolysis, aseptic loosening and long-term failure of the implant in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The present study compares the clinical and radiographic outcomes of 88 patients who underwent primary THA with either conventional polyethylene or cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) from the same manufacturer (Zimmer®, Warsaw, IN, USA). There were no significant differences between the two sub-populations in average age, gender, side affected and prosthetic stem and cup size. The average follow-up was 104 months, ranging from 55 to 131 months: to our knowledge this is the longest follow-up for this particular insert. Clinical and x-ray evaluation was obtained at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and yearly thereafter. Our results showed that cross-linked polyethylene has a significantly greater wear reduction than that of standard polyethylene.
The foot and ankle outcome score (FAOS) has been
evaluated for many conditions of the foot and ankle. We evaluated
its construct validity in 136 patients with osteoarthritis of the
ankle, its content validity in 37 patients and its responsiveness
in 39. Data were collected prospectively from the registry of patients
at our institution. All FAOS subscales were rated relevant by patients. The Pain,
Activities of Daily Living, and Quality of Life subscales showed
good correlation with the Physical Component score of the Short-Form-12v2.
All subscales except Symptoms were responsive to change after surgery. We concluded that the FAOS is a weak instrument for evaluating
osteoarthritis of the ankle. However, some of the FAOS subscales
have relative strengths that allow for its limited use while we
continue to seek other satisfactory outcome instruments. Cite this article:
