Latest research on ankle arthritis and replacement

25 papers · updated 2026-09-26 · Foot & Ankle · All topics

The newest papers on ankle arthritis and replacement from the orthopaedic journals The Reduction reads, newest first, each with a one-line summary. The list is drawn from the digest’s archive and refreshed every week.

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Recent papers

  1. Predictors of Limited Weight-Bearing Dorsiflexion Following Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

    Foot & Ankle International · Sep 2026 · PubMed

    Preoperative clinical dorsiflexion is the only independent predictor of postoperative dorsiflexion after total ankle arthroplasty; patient counseling should address realistic motion expectations.

  2. Preoperative Anxiety and/or Depression as a Predictor of Patient‑Reported Outcomes After Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

    Foot & Ankle International · Sep 05 2026 · PubMed

    In this registry cohort, preoperative anxiety/depression was common before total ankle arthroplasty but did not independently predict worse 12-month patient-reported outcomes, and most patients' symptoms resolved postoperatively.

  3. Total ankle arthroplasty via lateral transfibular approach with and without concomitant subtalar arthrodesis : radiological alignment, patient-reported outcomes, and range of motion at ≥ five-year follow-up.

    The Bone & Joint Journal · Sep 01 2026 · PubMed

    At five-plus years, combining subtalar arthrodesis with transfibular total ankle arthroplasty produced functional, pain, and radiological outcomes comparable to isolated total ankle arthroplasty, supporting its safety in select patients.

  4. Accuracy and Precision of Computer-assisted Navigation Compared With Patient-Specific Instrumentation and Conventional Methods in Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Sep 01 2026 · PubMed

    In a cadaveric-model study, computer-assisted navigation gave the most accurate tibial cuts while patient-specific instrumentation was best for talar cuts, both outperforming conventional fluoroscopic instrumentation in total ankle arthroplasty.

  5. COFAS Grade is not Associated with Outcomes following Infinity Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A Multicenter Study with Minimum Five-Year Follow-Up.

    Foot & Ankle International · Aug 31 2026 · PubMed

    In this multicenter study of 502 Infinity total ankle arthroplasties, preoperative COFAS deformity grade did not affect 5-year survivorship, complications, or patient-reported outcomes, supporting its use even in complex cases.

  6. Patient-Reported Outcomes and Satisfaction Results on a Modern Fixed-Bearing Total Ankle Arthroplasty: Updated Mean 6-Year Follow-up.

    Foot & Ankle International · Aug 2026 · PubMed

    Fixed-bearing total ankle arthroplasty improved quality of life and pain at mean 6-year follow-up, with outcomes exceeding clinically important thresholds.

  7. Long-term Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes After Salto Talaris Total Ankle Arthroplasty: Long-term Follow-up of a Previously Published Cohort.

    Foot & Ankle International · Aug 2026 · PubMed

    Salto Talaris total ankle arthroplasty achieves 86.9% implant survivorship at 15 years with sustained pain improvement and functional gains.

  8. Prosthetic Joint Infection After Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of Risk Factors and Outcomes.

    Foot & Ankle International · Aug 26 2026 · PubMed

    In 1008 total ankle arthroplasties, prosthetic joint infection occurred in 2.7% of cases, with concomitant calcaneal displacement osteotomy raising infection risk nearly 10-fold, though most cases achieved limb salvage with contemporary treatment.

  9. Development and Internal Validation of a Predictive Model for Clinically Meaningful AOS Improvement After Primary Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

    Foot & Ankle International · Aug 25 2026 · PubMed

    In 631 total ankle replacements, a predictive model using baseline AOS score and instability etiology (AUC 0.76) helps identify patients likely to achieve clinically meaningful improvement, aiding preoperative counseling.

  10. Malnutrition is associated with poor outcomes following total ankle arthroplasty.

    Foot and Ankle Surgery · Aug 10 2026 · PubMed

    Preoperative malnutrition markers (low transferrin, albumin, or leukocytes) were linked to higher short-term complications and worse 5-year outcomes after total ankle arthroplasty, highlighting a modifiable risk factor.

  11. Minimal Clinically Important Difference for the FAAM-ADL Following Total Ankle Arthroplasty: Initial Estimates and Predictors of Achievement.

    Foot & Ankle International · Jul 28 2026 · PubMed

    In 164 primary total ankle arthroplasties, FAAM-ADL MCID thresholds ranged from 12.5 to 32.3 points depending on method, with lower baseline function predicting MCID achievement.

  12. Amputation risk after total ankle arthroplasty: A national database study with verified continued patient enrollment.

    Foot and Ankle Surgery · Jul 01 2026 · PubMed

    Five-year major amputation rate after total ankle arthroplasty is 0.60% overall but 0.98% in diabetic patients, significantly higher than non-diabetic patients.

  13. Restricting Access to Care by Using Body Mass Index as Eligibility Criteria for Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

    Foot & Ankle International · Jun 2026 · PubMed

    BMI-based eligibility cutoffs for TAA would deny 27 complication-free surgeries to prevent one complication, suggesting BMI alone is insufficient for surgical exclusion.

  14. Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes at a Mean of 7 Years Following Primary Transfibular Total Ankle Arthroplasty in Younger and Older Patients.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Jun 18 2026 · PubMed

    Transfibular total ankle arthroplasty shows favorable midterm outcomes in younger patients comparable to older patients, suggesting broader candidacy across age ranges.

  15. SALTO TALARIS Total Ankle Arthroplasty at a Minimum of 10 Years of Follow-up: Survival and Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes in a Series of 144 Ankles.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Jun 18 2026 · PubMed

    The SALTO TALARIS total ankle arthroplasty demonstrates excellent long-term reliability with 96.2% metallic component survival and 99% arthrodesis-free survival at 10 years minimum follow-up.

  16. Pain-Related Impairment and Talar Tilt as Predictors of Surgical Decision Making in Advanced Varus Ankle Osteoarthritis.

    Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics · Apr 2026 · PubMed

    Lower baseline pain severity and greater talar tilt angle predict surgical selection in advanced varus ankle osteoarthritis initially treated conservatively with insoles.

  17. Use of an Extended-Length Tibial Tray in Total Ankle Arthroplasty: Rate of Subsidence, Loosening, Heterotopic Bone Formation, and Clinical Outcomes.

    Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics · Apr 2026 · PubMed

    Extended-length tibial tray in total ankle arthroplasty reduced heterotopic ossification, maintained functional outcomes, and improved patient satisfaction versus standard design.

  18. Management of the failing ankle arthroplasty : an algorithm to assist decision-making.

    The Bone & Joint Journal · Mar 01 2026 · Review · PubMed

    Proposes a structured, multidisciplinary algorithm for evaluating and managing failing total ankle arthroplasty, emphasizing infection screening, imaging, and alignment/bone stock assessment.

  19. Ankle Osteoarthritis.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Aug 15 2024 · Review · PubMed

    This review covers ankle osteoarthritis, noting most cases are posttraumatic, and discusses conservative care versus surgical options like arthrodesis and total ankle arthroplasty.

  20. Diagnosis and Management of Periprosthetic Joint Infections After Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Aug 15 2024 · Review · PubMed

    A review outlining risk factors, diagnostic workup, and staged surgical management (debridement, two-stage revision, arthrodesis, amputation) for periprosthetic joint infection after total ankle arthroplasty.

  21. Comparative Studies of Bone Graft and Orthobiologics for Foot Ankle Arthrodesis: A Critical Review.

    JAAOS Global Research & Reviews · May 01 2024 · Review · PubMed

    Bone grafts and orthobiologic agents show variable efficacy for ankle/hindfoot arthrodesis; limited comparative evidence exists to guide material selection.

  22. Outcomes of Total Ankle Replacement with Preoperative Varus Deformity.

    Foot & Ankle Clinics · Mar 2024 · Review · PubMed

    Total ankle replacement with severe varus deformity achieves good outcomes when corrective procedures applied, though complications increase with deformity severity.

  23. Diagnosing and Managing Infection in Total Ankle Replacement.

    Foot & Ankle Clinics · Mar 2024 · Review · PubMed

    Early TAR infections respond to debridement with polyethylene exchange; late infections require implant removal and two-stage revision with antibiotic spacer.

  24. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Total Ankle Arthroplasty: State-of-The-Art Assessment of Implant-Related Pain and Dysfunction.

    Foot & Ankle Clinics · Sep 2023 · Review · PubMed

    Metal artifact reduction MRI techniques accurately identify total ankle arthroplasty complications including osteolysis, infection, fractures, and soft-tissue injuries when radiography is inconclusive.

  25. Reflections on Presurgical and Postsurgical Gait Mechanics After 50 Years of Total Ankle Arthroplasty and Perspectives on the Next Decade of Advancement.

    Foot & Ankle Clinics · Mar 2023 · Review · PubMed

    Total ankle arthroplasty alters gait mechanics and provides pain relief as an alternative to fusion for ankle arthritis management.

Landmark papers

  1. Prospective Controlled Trial of STAR Total Ankle Replacement versus Ankle Fusion: Initial Results

    Foot & Ankle International · 2009 · cited 412 times · PubMed

    Mobile-bearing STAR ankle replacement showed better functional outcomes and equivalent pain relief compared to fusion through 24 months of follow-up.

  2. A Review of Ankle Arthrodesis: Predisposing Factors to Nonunion

    Foot & Ankle International · 1994 · cited 339 times · PubMed

    Reviewing 78 ankle fusions over 15 years, nonunion was linked to fracture type, avascular necrosis, infection, major comorbidities, and open injury, but not age or prior hindfoot fusion.

  3. Evidence-Based Classification of Complications in Total Ankle Arthroplasty

    Foot & Ankle International · 2009 · cited 292 times · PubMed

    Literature review of 20 studies proposes a grading system classifying total ankle arthroplasty complications (e.g., infection, loosening as high-grade) to guide postoperative management.

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