Total ankle replacement is an operation to replace a worn-out ankle joint by resurfacing the ends of your tibia and talus with metal components with a plastic insert in between them to allow gliding motion.
The metal components are fixed into bones using pegs or stems and have a special coating to encourage the patient’s bone to grow into them. Total ankle replacement (TAR) is an emerging technology. Although the first generation of total ankle replacements in the 1970’s showed poor results, improvements in technology and research have led to the development of the third generation of uncemented, three component, mobile-bearing implants.