title: [Endoprosthetic treatment of the ankle].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic polyarthritis is the second most common cause regarding the etiology of upper ankle osteoarthritis after posttraumatic degenerative changes. Patient mobility is limited by this painful disease. Besides conservative treatment options, replacement of the upper ankle joint is an operative therapeutic option in eligible candidates which provides very good results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Besides epidemiological data, clinic presentation, diagnostic tools, treatment options and management of postoperative complications for patients with ankle osteoarthritis, this article presents the results of midterm outcome after total ankle replacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrospective results of 44 patients after total ankle arthroplasty are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After an average follow-up of 53 months (range 20-98 months) the majority of results were good or excellent with respect to pain relief.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total ankle replacement is a good option for treating osteoarthritis of the ankle joint in rheumatoid arthritis when attention is paid to the eligibility of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Orthopädische Klinik für die Universität Regensburg, Asklepios Klinikum Bad Abbach, Kaiser-Karl-V.-Allee 3, 93077, Bad Abbach, Deutschland, j.goetz@asklepios.com.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Götz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grifka
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Springorum
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baier
mesh_terms: D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001178:Arthroplasty / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome