Zimmer Holdings releases new ankle replacement

Zimmer Holdings Inc. introduced the Zimmer Trabecular Metal Total Ankle for alignment restoration, pain reduction and flexion preservation and movement extension of the ankle joint. Available in six different sizes, the new ankle consists of a talar component, a tibial base component and a modular tibial articular surface.

According to a company press release, the articulating surfaces of the implant mimic the truncated conical shape of the ankle joint and are designed to reproduce natural joint kinematics while providing joint stability. The Zimmer Trabecular Metal Total Ankle is implanted through a lateral surgical approach, which allows for full visualization of the ankle joint with more precise implant placement. The device incorporates a propriety set of instruments, employing rigid external fixation of the anatomy to help ensure that alignment is accurately reproduced. It is also manufactured with Prolong Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene, designed to resist oxidation and reduce surface wear and subsurface fatigue.

“Maintaining harmony with the natural anatomy of the ankle was our central design concept with the Zimmer Trabecular Metal Total Ankle,” Roberto Munoz, vice president and general manager of Zimmer Extremities, stated. “This is the first ankle replacement to bring contemporary advances realized in knee and hip replacement to total ankle arthroplasty, including advanced bearing materials and anatomically-matched shapes and sizes.”

The Zimmer Trabecular Metal Total Ankle is available in the United States and the United Kingdom.