TAR sinking

Posted by walkthedog @walkthedog, 5 days ago

My total ankle replacement is 10 years old. It appears my appliance has sunk into the bone about .25". I am 6 weeks from an appointment with a ankle surgeon, but my podiatrist recommended heel lifts and that has helped my gait.

I did not tolerate the plates and screws well when I first broke it, so hesitant about fusion. Is amputation the only other option? What is recovery like for either?

I had rotator cuff surgery last year and that was much more painful than my replacement was.

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loll | @loll | 4 days ago

Perhaps some sort of bracing would help. I’m trying to recall the name of an external brace system that some veterans and others have used but the name doesn’t come to mind. You might look for that before amputation.
I looked into it around the time of getting my TAR 10 or so years ago.
Mine hasn’t sunk into the bone but is sort of delicate.
Around here in Minnesota there are ankle surgeons who specialize is revising ankle replacements.