13/12/2025
📘 Updating our Ankle Arthritis Treatment Leaflet | Liverpool Foot & Ankle Clinic
We’ve updated our ankle arthritis treatment information leaflet to reflect the findings of the recently published Oxford population study examining the long-term outcomes of total ankle replacement (TAR) versus ankle fusion (AF) in over 41,000 patients across England with up to 25 years of follow-up https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41355435/
This high-quality national data provides important reassurance for patients and clinicians alike:
• ✅ Both ankle replacement and ankle fusion are safe, effective definitive treatments for end-stage ankle arthritis
• 📉 Ankle fusion showed lower long-term revision rates compared with ankle replacement
• 🔁 Importantly, ankle fusion did not increase the long-term risk of adjacent hindfoot fusion, a common concern
• 🧠 The study reinforces that treatment choice should be individualised, based on patient age, activity, expectations, anatomy and comorbidities — not myths or assumptions
At Liverpool Foot & Ankle Clinic, we are committed to evidence-based, transparent shared decision-making. Updating our patient information ensures consultations are grounded in the best available long-term data, helping patients fully understand the benefits and trade-offs of each option.
📄 The revised leaflet is now used routinely in clinic to support informed discussions about ankle arthritis care.
FootAndAnkle LiverpoolFootAndAnkle Orthopaedics PatientInformation
