[LESS INFO] 120 VIEWS | ADDED 00:00:00 01/27/11
The healthy human ankle is a biomechanical marvel, but this amazing joint is prone to premature breakdown. In cases of progressive arthritis, non-operative care may fail to provide adequate relief; here, surgery can be the only option. In this program, a group of leading surgeons, including those from the University of Washington, debate the merits of joint and motion preserving surgeries such as ankle fusion. The physicians participating in this debate include: Dr. Rob Veith, staff surgeon at Valley Medical Center, who presents the case for well-performed ankle fusion surgery; Dr. Sigvard T. Hansen, Harborview Medical Center orthopedic surgeon, Director of the Foot and Ankle Institute and a UW professor, discusses a long term review of successes and problems of ankle arthroplasty. As well, Dr. Bruce J. Sangeorzan, surgeon and chief of the Orthopaedics Service at Harborview Medical Center, UW professor and vice-chair of the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine provides updates of a large scale North American comparison study on patients treated either with ankle arthroplasty or fusion. (Series: Grand Rounds)
