Ankle joint endoprosthesis
Our patient today presented with long-standing complaints in the left ankle. Anamnestically, he suffered a comminuted fracture of the left ankle in an accident in 1987 and subsequently underwent several surgeries. In 1992, a surgical plate fitting was performed to correct the axial misalignment. Postoperatively, infection occurred, resulting in no bone healing. With the help of shock wave therapy, bony consolidation was finally achieved. A year later, the plate was removed.
Symptoms
The patient has suffered from left external ankle pain for 30 years, with a marked increase in pain in recent years. Our patient is on his feet a lot at work and had already tried conservative measures (physiotherapy, shock wave therapy, orthopedic shoes), which hardly led to an improvement of the symptoms.
Diagnosis and treatment
Clinical examination revealed a markedly plump and soft-tissue swollen left ankle joint, and mobility was markedly limited compared with the healthy opposite side. Extensive radiological diagnostics clarified the extent of the post-traumatic arthrosis and indicated surgical treatment. The patient was surgically treated with an ankle arthroplasty to restore mobility and freedom from pain.
Modern ankle arthroplasty has become a valuable orthopedic treatment method through the development of recent years to ensure patients with ankle arthritis a pain-free daily life and improved sports fitness.
