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A medical research led by Lew C. Schon, MD, FACS, FAAOS, Director of Orthopedic Innovation at The Institute of Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy Medical Middle, is drawing consideration throughout the orthopedic and biomedical communities for its findings on whole ankle alternative surgical procedure.
Dr. Schon, an orthopedic surgeon and co-inventor of the Zimmer Biomet Trabecular Steel Whole Ankle Substitute, has launched new knowledge within the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgical procedure demonstrating distinctive sturdiness, performance, and long-term outcomes of the implant in a minimal five-year follow-up of 130 sufferers.
Not like conventional anterior approaches utilized in most ankle replacements, the Zimmer Biomet implant is inserted utilizing a transfibular (lateral) surgical method. This technique, paired with the implant’s progressive bone sparing curved form and distinctive supplies (extremely cross linked polyethylene and tantalum trabecular steel) has led to implant stability and survivorship.
“This is a lateral approach. We cut the outer bone which is often deformed and position it to get everything properly aligned and then mill away the arthritic surfaces. It’s a direct, safer, and more anatomic way to restore the joint,” Dr. Schon stated.
“By resurfacing the joint, we are preserving more surface area of high-density bone to support the implant. In addition, tantalum is a very special metal that is fabricated with the same porosity of bone which inspires bone to grow into it. Our clinical and robotic testing show outstanding wear properties of the components.”
Notably, the research discovered that the Zimmer Biomet whole ankle performs constantly nicely in each youthful and older sufferers, together with these underneath age 55—a inhabitants usually related to larger failure charges in different ankle alternative techniques.
Whereas sufferers can return to lots of their every day actions after surgical procedure, Dr. Schon advises in opposition to high-impact actions like working or leaping to protect the longevity of the implant.
This research provides to a rising physique of proof suggesting that the Zimmer Biomet lateral method ankle alternative system presents a sturdy and efficient answer for end-stage ankle arthritis, with restricted periprosthetic radiolucency and no indicators of implant subsidence or loosening at mid-term follow-up.
Extra info:
Jonathan Day et al, Outcomes of Transfibular Whole Ankle Arthroplasty, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgical procedure (2025). DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.24.00983
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Mercy Medical Middle
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Whole ankle alternative utilizing distinctive lateral method exhibits good long-term outcomes (2025, June 10)
retrieved 11 June 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-06-total-ankle-unique-lateral-approach.html
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