Imagine not being able to go out to dinner, to go shopping or go to the beach with your spouse. Chronic ankle pain prevents many people from doing simple activities that most of us take for granted.

At Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC), a new total ankle joint replacement procedure is now available for patients with debilitating ankle problems, PMMC boasts the second surgeon in Pennsylvania to offer this innovative ankle surgery.

PMMC foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Benjamin Overley is one of only 200 surgeons in the U.S. and Canada trained in the new INBONE™ total ankle system and qualified to perform this kind of ankle surgery.

This new treatment is for patients who have joint pain in their ankles caused by severe rheumatoid, post-traumatic or degenerative arthritis.

Until now, patients with ankle joint pain had few options. The typical treatment has been ankle fusion, which often left patients with limited mobility and foot pain. Furthermore, the complication rate associated with ankle fusion has traditionally been very high.

What Is Total Ankle Joint replacement?
Surgeons have been performing total ankle replacements since the mid-1970s but prosthesis designs didn’t provide long-term endurance. Today, medical technology and improved prosthesis designs make total ankle replacement a feasible surgical solution.

The procedure replaces the arthritic end of the tibia and the top of the talus with metal and high strength polyethylene components, similar to those used in knee and hip joint replacements. The intention of the implant is to form a new, smoothly functioning joint that ends painful bone-on-bone contact and enables the patient to resume normal activities.

INBONE™ Ankle replacement Puts You Back on Your Feet
“Although there are other systems on the market, the INBONE™ total ankle system is the only one that utilizes a foot holder to ensure proper placement of the joint implant with targeting arms,” explains Dr. Overley.

“The other systems require the surgeon to ‘eyeball’ the ankle during sizing and implantation. This can lead to implant failure and the need for additional surgery,” adds Dr. Overley. “The INBONE™ system is a viable surgical option for pain reduction and restored mobility due to ankle arthritis.”

A New Ankle in About 2 Hours
Depending on the patient’s age and medical history, surgery takes about two hours. It is an inpatient procedure. Most patients are hospitalized overnight and sent home within two days. The patient usually wears a rigid cast for about six weeks. Most patients move on to a soft walking cast, have physical therapy and slowly return to weightbearing activity.

“The success rate for the procedure has been excellent, with patients walking pain-free at three months after surgery,” says Dr. Overley.

Do You Have severe Foot and Ankle Pain?
If you have chronic ankle pain and are unable to perform simple daily activities such as grocery shopping or laundry, you may be a candidate for total ankle joint replacement. If you experience debilitating ankle pain, please call the Brandywine Institute of Orthopaedics at 610-792-9292.

Benefits of INBoNE™ Total Ankle surgery:

Photo: Dr. Benjamin D. Overley (right) explains the ankle procedure to Tom Crawford, 61. Tom’s ankle had deteriorated so badly from repetitive sports injuries that he walked with two crutches. The Bryn Mawr resident searched for a year to find a qualified surgeon to replace his worn ankle with the INBONE™ ankle system. Dr. Overley performed the surgery in February. By April, Tom walked agilely using a single crutch. “I’ll be off this [crutch] by May,” Tom says. “The doctor expects I’ll be able to ride a bike, even run. He’s the best doctor I ever met.”