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Leading-edge technology

Mercy Medical Center first in Valley to perform ankle replacement procedure

01 / 24 / 2008

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OSHKOSH, Wis. –Mercy Medical Center has introduced total ankle replacements, the latest leading-edge technology in bone and joint health.

“This surgery offers new possibilities for people who thought they had no choice but to suffer from severe ankle pain,” says Dr. John Horan, Mercy orthopaedic surgeon. Horan is the first in Northeast Wisconsin to perform this advanced procedure.

People such as Amalia Steinbring, 72, are now able to find relief from debilitating ankle pain.  Steinbring, of Fond du Lac, injured her ankle in an automobile accident and her ankle was not healing properly.

“My ankle was a total mess,” Steinbring says. “I couldn’t walk, drive or even clean my house. It was difficult to take care of my husband.”

The most common causes of damaged ankles are arthritis and injury. Arthritis causes the cartilage or protective padding between joints to wear down, provoking bone to rub against bone – a very painful condition for the nearly one in five adults in the United States who suffer from chronic joint symptoms.

“The ankle is crucial to a normal lifestyle. Walking, driving, even just getting in and out of bed – all of these basic activities require placing weight on our ankles,” says Horan. “Arthritis and ankle injuries can be debilitating because they make everyday activities painful or, in some cases, practically impossible.”

Until recently, ankle replacement technology was unreliable. Many doctors opted to fuse the ankle bones together instead. The result was not ideal, causing limited mobility and extra stress on the surrounding bones.

In the new total ankle replacement surgery, the damaged joint is traded for an artificial ankle designed to imitate the movement of a natural joint. This replacement part is made of metal and plastic and coated with tiny beads. The bone actually grows into the beads, bonding natural bone to the artificial ankle. “This innovative approach not only provides relief from chronic pain, but it also allows a patient to keep a normal range of motion, which is a great improvement from previous solutions,” says Horan.

In the long run, the new ankles are as reliable as hip or knee replacements, which are typically expected to last ten years. For that reason, candidates for the surgery are usually in their late middle age or older.

Horan expressed that Steinbring was a good candidate for the procedure because of her symptoms of constant pain and limited joint movement.

Following ankle replacement surgery, patients can expect pain to subside quickly – within a week in some cases.  As with other joint replacement procedures, it is common to undergo several weeks of physical therapy in order to train the body to walk with the new ankle. 

 “Dr. Horan and his team were fantastic. I had complete confidence in him from our first meeting. The communication about the procedure and the recovery was great,” Steinbring says.

After the procedure, Steinbring had two months of therapy and had to protect her ankle with a specially designed plastic boot.

“The recovery is a little slow, but the pain is completely gone.” 

Steinbring spent two months in therapy to help her adjust to her new ankle. “I had to be off of (the ankle) for 12 weeks,” she says. “I did a lot of puzzles, and the people who helped me with my rehab were fantastic.”

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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a Catholic mission-oriented regional health care network, is a partnership of Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Affinity Health System is the Fox Valley’s third largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and is ranked 24 among the top 100 integrated health care networks nationwide (Verispan 2008). Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent among hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Network Health Plan has achieved Excellent accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the highest possible level. It is ranked 37th among the 250 rated health plans in the nation in terms of customer satisfaction and clinical performance, according to the U.S. News and World Report/NCQA Best Health Plans in America listing. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Community Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 23 family practice and specialty clinics in 13 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; Network Health Plan, Menasha; and Affinity Occupational Health.