Reclaiming Mobility: How Total Talus Replacement Can Transform Lives

For those grappling with debilitating foot and ankle pain due to severe arthritis or talar avascular necrosis (AVN), medical advancements offer a beacon of hope. At Shasta Orthopaedics in Redding, CA, Dr. Jason Nowak and his colleagues are at the forefront of a cutting-edge procedure: Total Talus Replacement (TTR). This innovative surgery is changing lives by restoring mobility and reducing pain for patients with advanced talar damage.

What Is Total Talus Replacement?

The talus, a crucial bone in the ankle, supports your body weight and enables smooth motion between the foot and leg. Unfortunately, injuries or conditions like AVN can disrupt blood flow to the talus, causing it to collapse and leading to severe pain and limited mobility. Left untreated, this can result in arthritis in surrounding joints.

Traditionally, treatments like ankle fusions were used to address this problem. While effective at alleviating pain, these procedures often limit motion, making activities like walking or climbing stairs challenging. TTR offers a groundbreaking alternative, preserving ankle joint movement and overall foot function by replacing the damaged talus with a 3D-printed implant customized to the patient’s anatomy.

Dr. Nowak recently co-authored a study on TTR Success Rate

The Study: TTR Success Rates

Dr. Nowak recently co-authored a study comparing outcomes between two groups:

1. Patients who underwent isolated TTR, where only the talus was replaced.
2. Patients who had TTR combined with other procedures like total ankle arthroplasty (replacing the ankle joint) or hindfoot arthrodesis (fusing surrounding joints).

The findings? Both groups experienced significant improvements:

1. Pain relief: Patients reported a reduction in pain scores from an average of 8.43 pre-surgery to just 2.67 post-surgery.
2. Functionality: Mobility and foot function improved dramatically, with scores on the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale jumping from 36.33 to 81.78.
3. Durability: The implant survivorship rate was an impressive 94.5%, meaning the vast majority of patients did not need revision surgery.

The study also found no significant difference in outcomes between isolated TTR and combined procedures, showing that TTR is versatile enough to meet varying patient needs.

Who Might Be a Candidate for TTR?

TTR is often recommended for patients with:

1. Talar AVN: Avascular necrosis caused by injury, corticosteroid use, or systemic diseases.
2. Advanced ankle arthritis: Especially when conventional treatments have failed.
3. Failed previous surgeries: Including total ankle arthroplasty where the talus implant has subsided.

Ideal candidates are those seeking to maintain motion and avoid the stiffness associated with fusion procedures.

Take the Next Step

Living with chronic ankle pain doesn’t have to be your reality. Total Talus Replacement offers a new lease on life, restoring mobility and function while reducing pain.

If you’re in Northern California and think TTR might be right for you, contact Shasta Orthopaedics to schedule a consultation with Dr. Jason Nowak. Explore your options and take the first step toward reclaiming your active lifestyle.