Outcomes of Total Ankle Replacement Versus Ankle Arthrodesis for the Treatment of End-Stage Ankle Arthritis

Abstract: Despite the increasing utilization of total ankle replacement (TAR) for end-stage ankle arthritis, there remains a paucity of long-term follow-up data comparing arthroplasty to arthrodesis. The aim of the current paper was to provide the long-term clinical outcomes of TAR and ankle arthrodesis (AA), measured with use of validated scoring instruments, in a prospective multicenter cohort of patients with ankle arthritis. This cohort from the Canadian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (COFAS) Prospective Ankle Reconstruction Database comprised patients who underwent TAR or AA between 2001 and 2007. Data collection included demographics, comorbidities, and Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale and Short Form-36 scores. A total of 211 patients were included in the present study, with a minimum follow-up of 10 years (range, 10 to 18 years) and a mean follow-up of 13.2 years. In this cohort, the baseline characteristics of those who underwent AA and those who underwent TAR differed with respect to mean age (53.8 versus 61.3 years; p < 0.001), smoking status (31% versus 50% with no smoking history; p < 0.001), and inflammatory arthritis diagnosis (2% versus 17%; p = 0.005). Patients in the AA group had a greater chance of having no further surgery following their index procedure compared with those in the TAR group (70% versus 58%; p = 0.02). The TAR and AA groups demonstrated similar functional outcomes. In conclusion, the long-term clinical outcomes of TAR and AA were similar in a diverse cohort in which the treatment was tailored to the condition of the patient. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level II . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.