Buechel-Pappas Total Ankle (Prod 548)

A mobile bearing is thought to be the key to a successful ankle replacement. Loads in the ankle are similar to those in the knee. Yet the ankle is much smaller. Thus the problem of excessive stress in UHMWPe bearings that is common in fixed bearing knees is even more difficult to deal with in the ankle. A mobile bearing has provided acceptable levels of contact stress with needed ankle mobility. In the B-P Total Ankle this is achieved by a primary articulation that is generated by the use of a compound curve. This curve is identical for the talar and inferior bearing articular surfaces. This provides congruent contact throughout the entire range of flexion. These articulation surfaces not only allow for full congruence in flexion/extension, but also in inversion/eversion (I/E). A secondary articular surface is flat-on-flat. This articulation provides the needed axial rotation and translations needed to avoid unnecessary constraint without preventing congruent flexion.