50-year-old Galesville resident Roxanne was a University of Wisconsin student in 1981 when she was
involved in a motorcycle accident that left her ankle broken and several tendons completely ripped
apart. The injury was so gruesome that the ER surgeon proposed an amputation. After Roxanne declined
the doctor stitched her up, but her ankle was badly deformed, bearing little resemblance to how it
looked before the accident.
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The accident shattered her dreams of becoming a retail buyer and for the next ten years, Roxanne
lived in constant pain. Her injury meant full-time retail work was out of the question; instead, she
held various odd jobs while raising her children. Though her discomfort was tolerable with medication,
normal activities like walking with friends, gardening and exercising were close to impossible.
In 1990, upset with the limitations her ankle pain caused, Roxanne visited the surgeon who treated
her after the crash nine years earlier. Although the surgeon performed several reconstructive surgeries
to repair her ankle, much of the bone in her ankle was gone and a bone fusion provided little pain
relief. The physician believed that additional surgeries would be of little use and once again proposed
an amputation. Roxanne rejected the idea and resigned herself to living a restricted lifestyle.
Refusing to give up, she continued to research her options and learned of Dr. Gregory Berlet at the
Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center in Westerville, Ohio. During the initial visit, Dr. Berlet suggested
that she was an ideal candidate for an artificial ankle, which he believed would give her an opportunity
to reclaim her life. Willing to take one more shot at normalcy, Roxanne was implanted with the INBONE®
Total Ankle Replacement from Wright in January 2009.
After 2.5 months of physical therapy, Roxanne was a completely new woman. She has since completed a 2,500-mile
motorcycle trek, a snowshoe hike and many horseback rides. In June 2009, Roxanne participated in a triathlon - where
she swam a quarter mile, ran five miles and biked 17 miles – and came in third for the swimming portion. Roxanne says,
“I never thought I would be able to run or really live again. It is incredible to do things that haven’t been possible
for me for thirty years!”
Roxanne was treated with an INBONE® Total Ankle Replacement. Until recently, there
were limited options for ankle replacement in the U.S. The INBONE® Total Ankle began as a leading foot
and ankle surgeon’s quest to provide a surgical solution to ankle arthritis patients for pain reduction and restored
mobility. The INBONE® ankle team carefully studied previous ankle designs to determine the causes of
implant failure. With that knowledge in hand, and using design elements already proven successful in hip and knee
implants, INBONE® ankle engineers designed a total ankle replacement intended to stand the test of time.
The prosthesis consists of two main pieces: a tibial (shin bone) component and a talar (ankle bone)
component. The tibial component features a polyethylene (plastic) piece secured within a titanium (metal) holder. A long
titanium stem securely anchors this half of the implant within the tibia. The talar component is an anatomically shaped,
highly polished cobalt chrome metal piece which also features a stem. The talar stem is inserted into the talus (ankle bone)
to securely anchor this half of the implant. Once installed, the smooth plastic surface of the tibial component is designed
to rotate on the highly polished metal surface of the talar component, allowing for smooth, fluid movement.
These results are specific to this individual only. Individual results and activity levels after
surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery
times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.
Only a physician can tell you if this product and associated procedure are right for you and your
unique circumstances. Please consult with a physician for complete information regarding benefits, risks and possible outcomes.