Total Ankle Arthroplasty Survivorship, Complication, and Revision Rates in Patients Younger Than 55 Years.

Total ankle replacement has become a viable alternative to ankle arthrodesis in the surgical management of advanced ankle arthritis. Total ankle replacement has generally been reserved for patients who are older and for those who will have a lower demand on the replacement. The purpose of the current study is to review patient outcomes, complications, and implant survival in patients younger than 55 years who underwent total ankle replacement at a single institution. A single-center chart and radiographic review was performed of consecutive patients who underwent total ankle replacement for treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis. All surgeries were performed by 1 of 5 fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons at a single institution. A total of 51 patients met inclusion criteria with a mean follow-up of 31.2 months (SD = 16.2). Implant survival was 94%, There were 7 major complications (13%) requiring an unplanned return to the operating room and 8 minor complications (15%) that resolved with conservative care. The results of this study show that total ankle replacement is a viable treatment option for patients younger than 55 years.Levels of Evidence: A retrospective case series.

Safety Profile Associated With Calcaneal Autograft Harvesting Using a Reaming Graft Harvester.

BACKGROUND: Foot and ankle surgery often requires bone healing, whether in elective arthrodesis or trauma. While primary bone healing is possible, the rate of nonunion in foot and ankle surgery remains variable. The addition of autogenous bone graft can allow for higher union rates by adding to the biology at the site of bone healing. Harvesting autogenous bone graft from the calcaneus for foot and ankle surgery can be done quickly and efficiently and allow for an adequate amount of graft. METHODS: A retrospective chart and radiographic review was performed for 1438 patients at a single center between August 1, 2015, and December 15, 2018, who underwent calcaneal autograft harvesting using a power-driven reaming graft harvester. RESULTS: In total, 966 patients were included and evaluated for the safety and complication rate associated with the procedure. Only 1 patient (0.1%) had a major complication, and there were 14 minor complications (1.4%). CONCLUSION: The safety profile and low complication rate of this case series demonstrate that this simple and efficient calcaneal autograft harvest technique can be considered when a small to moderate amount of autogenous bone graft is required to augment bone healing. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic level IV, case series.