ARTHRITIS/FOOT, LEG & ANKLE/JOINT PAIN
An ankle Exostectomy is a surgery that allows removing the developing ankle bone limbs on the ankle joint front when these ankle bone limbs are evoluting due to an ankle arthritis.
The limbs can be bulky and seriously painful.
A surgery is recommended to patients with ankle arthritis.
There are numerous surgical alternatives depending on the problem rigorousness.
About Ankle Arthritis
Ankle arthritis is a disorder occurring where the ankle cartilage of the ankle joint is deteriorated and mobility becomes restrained and severly painful.
Progressive and not treated arthritis may leads to bone inflammations that cause this limbs apparition.
The bone limbs classically develop on the ankle joint front and can become quite bulky.
These bone limbs develop as well on the joint outside (or periphery) resulting a motion blockage.
The bone spurs are the body’s natural reaction to the basic arthritic course.
With severe arthritis, the bone limbs become so bulky that they may cause an eventual crack.
The bone limbs are seriously painful when generating bulky.
Ankle Arthritis/Therapy
As previously said, there are numerous alternatives to treat ankle arthritis, either non-surgical or surgical procedures.
Ankle arthritis Nonsurgical alternatives comprise pain medicine, anti-inflammatory medicine, ankle braces, physical therapy and/or injections.
Ankle arthritis surgical alternatives comprise techniques that maintain the ankle joint known by (joint salvage procedures) or other measures that focus on removing the ankle joint known by (joint destructive procedures).
Generally, joint salvage procedures are for arthritis earlier phases, whereas joint destructive procedures are for arthritis end-phases.
Ankle Exostectomy
Exostectomy is a surgery performed to removing the bone limbs that are formed on the ankle joint due to an ankle arthritis.
Two methods are commonly performed to remove the bone limbs:
1. Arthroscopic Ankle Exostectomy
2. Open Ankle Exostectomy
Arthroscopic Ankle Exostectomy: This sort of ankle exostectomy is using small and precise incisions to remove the bone limbs with the assistance of cameras and bone shavers.
The big advantage of this technique is that it is minimally aggressive. Note that ankle arthroscopy is performed in case of mild or moderate ankle arthritis because it is technically difficult to access the joint arthroscopically with more severe arthritis.
Open Ankle Exostectomy: An open ankle exostectomy is a more outdated method to remove the bone limbs by making an incision(s) on the front of the ankle.
With this process, direct visualization can be achieved and the bone limbs removed consequently.
This method is better appropriate for more advanced severe arthritis, or when the bone limbs had attained the end-stage of an ankle arthritis.
Ankle Exostectomy/Recovery
Ankle exostectomy recovery is considered speedy because patients are most commonly authorized to walk straight after surgery.
This is quiet favorable when considering other surgical mediations for ankle arthritis, where recovery can be exceedingly extended.