Tipping Point

A tipping point refers to a point in time when a group rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely adopting a previously rare practice. In orthopedics, for example, knee replacement surgeries performed increased from 80,000 cases in 1999 to more than 250,000 cases in 2009 (US patients 45 to 64 years of age). In total knee arthroplasty, the tipping point to make it a viable intervention in the younger population was the availability of reliable revision options.

Revision total ankle arthroplasty outcomes

Purnell et al. published a study last month where they followed 16 patients who had revision ankle arthroplasty using the INVISION system from Stryker. At a minimum of two years of follow up, the study showed excellent survivorship with no failures. There were significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes and low rates of subsidence and radiolucencies.

Has total ankle arthroplasty reached a tipping point?

With published superiority of TAR to ankle fusion in function, pain control and patient satisfaction coupled with reliable revision options, the opinion of many is a strong YES.