For anyone that plays basketball, spraining one’s ankle can be a common occurrence. Steve, 63, can attest to that. When he began
actively playing back in the 60’s, Steve frequently suffered from sprained ankles. His solution was to tape them or wear a brace.
He loved the sport and refused to let the pain keep him off the court, that is until ten years ago when the pain in his ankles refused
to subside.
Steve twice went to the orthopedic surgeons to have bone spurs removed, hoping that would help with the pain. When that did not work
he went to several local physicians to consultabout his options. Since Steve was only in his early 50’s his physicians felt he was too
young to undergo a total ankle replacement since the implants available on the market at the time only proved to be effective for four
years or less. Steve decided to tough it out and took Celebrex to help with the pain and swelling.
As an anthropology teacher at a local community college in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Steve had difficulty performing his job. The campus is
laid out on a large area of land, requiring him to walk long distances to get from one classroom to the next. Standing on his feet all
day also started to become a problem, causing his ankle to swell up so much that by the end of the day, he could barely walk.
Finally in 2007, his daughter did some research on ankle replacements and came across the INBONE® Total Ankle. Having
watched her father suffer for so many years, she convinced him to look into the new replacement. During his research, Steve found Dr.
James DeOrio at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Since Dr. DeOrio had completed the most INBONE® Total Ankle replacements,
Steve decided to fly all the way to North Carolina from his home in Colorado to meet with him. On May 22nd, 2008, Steve had his ankle
replaced at the Duke University Medical Center.
He remained in the hospital for 24 hours and was able to return home to Colorado after only three days. Steve is a member of a local
rock ‘n roll band and was eager to get back to playing keyboards. After only two weeks, Steve was back on stage, his foot elevated on
the keyboard amp while he played. His quick recovery continued and after eight weeks, he was walking around without crutches and more
importantly without any pain.
"It’s amazing," Steve said. "For the first time in ten years I can walk up and down the stairs without having to hang on to a rail. I
marvel at it. The whole family thinks it’s a miracle."
Steve has since returned to school for the new academic year. For the first time, he no longer has to leave extra time in between
classes to walk across campus. According to his students and colleagues, this is the healthiest Steve has looked in years. As a whitewater
canoeist, Steve can finally get back to fighting the rapid currents rather than the chronic pain in his ankles.
Steve 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 viable surgical solution to
ankle arthritis patients for pain reduction and restored mobility. The INBONE® 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® engineers designed a total ankle replacement that could stand the test of time.
The prosthesis consists of two main pieces: a tibial component and a talar component. The tibial component features a high strength
polyethylene piece secured within a titanium 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 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 rotates effortlessly on the highly polished
metal surface of the talar component, resulting in 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.