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Implantable prostheses designed to totally or partially replace the ankle joint. Partial ankle prostheses may consist either of a tibial component (consisting of a metal base-plate tray that is attached to the tibia and a hard plastic [e.g., medical-grade polyethylene] cup that serves as the bearing surface and is used to substitute for the socket of the ankle joint) or a talus component (consisting of a metal [e.g., cobalt-chromium alloy] device that replaces the top of the talus). Total ankle joint prostheses may consist of a combination of both a tibial component and talus component or, more frequently, of advanced designs that include three or more components. Ankle joint prostheses may permit constrained or semiconstrained movements according to the design; they may be intended for implantation with or without bone cement. Ankle joint prostheses are used mainly in patients who suffer from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, as well as after trauma.
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