Michael Johnson, M.D., and Clay Spitler, M.D., associate professors in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, are both authors of a recently published article titled “Comparison of Total Ankle Replacement and Ankle Arthrodesis for Ankle Arthropathy in Patients with Bleeding Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.”

The manuscript was published in Foot & Ankle International in May 2023.

According to the article, “There is limited literature comparing the publications on ankle arthrodesis (AA) and total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) in the setting of hemophilic arthropathy.” The study’s objective was to systematically review existing literature and assess ankle arthroplasty as an alternative to ankle arthrodesis in this specific patient population.

Out of 1,226 studies, 21 were included in the authors’ review. 13 studies reviewed outcomes associated with AA in hemophilic arthropathy, 10 studies reviewed outcomes associated with TAA, two studies reviewed outcomes of both AA and TAA, and three studies were prospective.

The study concludes that, while the evidence in the manuscript varies, the current literature suggests similar clinical outcomes and complication rates between TAA and AA in this patient population.