Ankle Trying to learn more about TAR

[FCBayern]

Also, I am wondering when is the best time of year to get the surgery. I was thinking summer might be best for me since I am less busy with travel then, but other perspectives welcome. Of course, the most obvious is whenever you can get scheduled.

Less travel would definitely be beneficial. Some docs allow weight bearing right away, I was non-weight bearing for 6 weeks, my OS stated that results at 12 weeks were identical, so why not make sure the protheses has secured itself to the bone. Other than that I would recommend that you not do it at a time of year where you will be tempted to do too much too fast. Recovery is not rehabbing a sport injury, it's healing from major surgical trauma, slow and steady is the only way to win the recovery race.

 

[pathfinder]

Monte, I'm in for double ankle and hip replacement (knee 2x, 90's and 00's with screws and 3 torn ligaments. Last ankle was done 12/21. 35 yrs of basketball, high school college and open leagues till prob 45. Last 5 yrs of playing were with too much weight 6'5" 260 and whole body broke down. At the end of my ankles lives I couldn't walk without sharp pain. Went to my sons wedding before the ankles and hips were done and had to get cortisone in both ankles, one hip and 1 knee to get through the week.

Now the good news, recovery is as advertised, 6 weeks before boot(see if u can have a split cast put on instead of a fixed one) then light walking with boot, start rehab and in 4-6 months u should be good to travel and do whatever. I have a friend who had one as well and snow ski's lightly in the winter. I just swim and ride a bike now.

As for a doctor, I spoke with a guy at HSS who did my friends, a guy at Duke and then was introduced to a guy in sfl who trained at john's hopkins and is with a world-renowned group in WPB. I ended up using him for 2 reasons, didn't have to travel and IMO was extremely capable. I would try to find a guy who has been doing tar exclusively for at least 7,8 years and go from there. As for the actual devices, all the new ones seem pretty similar to me. I did come to the quick realization that all of the doc's are recommending the one they are monetarily affiliated with, ie doing research, field testing for compensation. Last yr the guy says abc device, this yr it's zyz.

Finally, my ankles do not feel as if I'm a 25 yr old again but I can walk with no pain. I get some soreness and stiffness in them but I can live with that. My mother actually had hers replaced about 8 or 10 yrs ago and says she feels nothing but normal in the foot but she's a small light woman, not 6'5" 310 now as I am.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Monte H]

Monte, I'm in for double ankle and hip replacement (knee 2x, 90's and 00's with screws and 3 torn ligaments. Last ankle was done 12/21. 35 yrs of basketball, high school college and open leagues till prob 45. Last 5 yrs of playing were with too much weight 6'5" 260 and whole body broke down. At the end of my ankles lives I couldn't walk without sharp pain. Went to my sons wedding before the ankles and hips were done and had to get cortisone in both ankles, one hip and 1 knee to get through the week.

Now the good news, recovery is as advertised, 6 weeks before boot(see if u can have a split cast put on instead of a fixed one) then light walking with boot, start rehab and in 4-6 months u should be good to travel and do whatever. I have a friend who had one as well and snow ski's lightly in the winter. I just swim and ride a bike now.

As for a doctor, I spoke with a guy at HSS who did my friends, a guy at Duke and then was introduced to a guy in sfl who trained at john's hopkins and is with a world-renowned group in WPB. I ended up using him for 2 reasons, didn't have to travel and IMO was extremely capable. I would try to find a guy who has been doing tar exclusively for at least 7,8 years and go from there. As for the actual devices, all the new ones seem pretty similar to me. I did come to the quick realization that all of the doc's are recommending the one they are monetarily affiliated with, ie doing research, field testing for compensation. Last yr the guy says abc device, this yr it's zyz.

Finally, my ankles do not feel as if I'm a 25 yr old again but I can walk with no pain. I get some soreness and stiffness in them but I can live with that. My mother actually had hers replaced about 8 or 10 yrs ago and says she feels nothing but normal in the foot but she's a small light woman, not 6'5" 310 now as I am.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

That is very helpful Pathfinder. It sounds like we have travelled similar paths. Glad you are recovering well.

So do you know which implant you got?

Thanks and all the best.

 

[Monte H]

I saw Dr. Stein last week. He said my bone structure looked good, but said the cartilage loss is a 10 out of 10.

He uses the Salto ankle implant. I will be gettign more info from him via email. Have been researching everything I can find on youtube. There is quite a bit.

And also some other surgeons to talk to.

 

[pathfinder]

Monte, I'm in for double ankle and hip replacement (knee 2x, 90's and 00's with screws and 3 torn ligaments. Last ankle was done 12/21. 35 yrs of basketball, high school college and open leagues till prob 45. Last 5 yrs of playing were with too much weight 6'5" 260 and whole body broke down. At the end of my ankles lives I couldn't walk without sharp pain. Went to my sons wedding before the ankles and hips were done and had to get cortisone in both ankles, one hip and 1 knee to get through the week.

Now the good news, recovery is as advertised, 6 weeks before boot(see if u can have a split cast put on instead of a fixed one) then light walking with boot, start rehab and in 4-6 months u should be good to travel and do whatever. I have a friend who had one as well and snow ski's lightly in the winter. I just swim and ride a bike now.

As for a doctor, I spoke with a guy at HSS who did my friends, a guy at Duke and then was introduced to a guy in sfl who trained at john's hopkins and is with a world-renowned group in WPB. I ended up using him for 2 reasons, didn't have to travel and IMO was extremely capable. I would try to find a guy who has been doing tar exclusively for at least 7,8 years and go from there. As for the actual devices, all the new ones seem pretty similar to me. I did come to the quick realization that all of the doc's are recommending the one they are monetarily affiliated with, ie doing research, field testing for compensation. Last yr the guy says abc device, this yr it's zyz.

Finally, my ankles do not feel as if I'm a 25 yr old again but I can walk with no pain. I get some soreness and stiffness in them but I can live with that. My mother actually had hers replaced about 8 or 10 yrs ago and says she feels nothing but normal in the foot but she's a small light woman, not 6'5" 310 now as I am.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

That is very helpful Pathfinder. It sounds like we have travelled similar paths. Glad you are recovering well.

So do you know which implant you got?

Thanks and all the best.

first ankle maybe 2 yrs ago is a Integra Cadence system.
For the second one 6 months ago he was recomending the Hintermann Series H3®.

After speaking with them at length I decided to stay with the integra.

 

[Layla]

Hi @pathfinder
You have an interesting history to share. Hopefully you will consider starting a thread on any forum that pertains to your most recent, or upcoming surgeries. It seems you have a lot to offer and it would be a nice place for other members to read a bit about your joint replacement journeys.
Please join us!

 

[Monte H]

Update:

Well I have now met with 5 surgeons here in the Washington/Baltimore area and also explored dynamic bracing which I think has some promise. In meeting with surgeons I ended up getting an injection in May and result was so good that I have delayed getting surgery for now. Ankle still feels pretty good 3-4 months out. I will get a 2nd in September assuming it is still indicated at that time.

I am down to two surgeons and I feel pretty comfortable at this point. Learned a lot from posters here as well as from a facebook forum- I joined FB just to access the forum which I used to access through Yahoo.

All the best.

 

[Pumpkin]

Glad the injection worked well, hopefully you won't need another injection for awhile longer.

 

[FCBayern]

The injection only last a week for my ankle so didn't help much at all. It did work for my knee though, probably let me put off TKR for a couple of years, but it's generally just a delaying action.

 

[Supersonic]

Very interesting read, I've had one injection and that lasted for around 8 weeks , now waiting for second( UK - see so NHS slip up, in recall)
Suddenly no ROM, intense pain no walking with a lump. Hopefully a few more shots before an TAR.
Just gonna try pain relief whilst waiting.

I am worried about the recovery, rehab and end result but painless would be a good outcome. I'm 56 so hate that l limp, along with the curren t pain it adds years to me but it is what it is

 

[Iski]

I had my first cortizone injection in ankle in 2010. Had bone chip in and near joint. Had occasional injections until they eventually did nothing at all. Had TAR with Wright Infinity July 7, 2023. Bottom line - keep doing everything you can, but when pain and limitation are too high, it's TAR or fusion. For me, 6 week visit showed implants well merged into bones. PT going well. 8 weeks in 2 days: walking pretty good now in HOKA shoes. One issue is a large "hole" at the lowest part of incision. Spent 2 weeks on antibiotics and going to Wound Care. No one seems overly concerned but it will take 4-8 weeks to heal that last bit of incision.