Compared to other joint replacements surgeries such as the knee and hip, the ankle is a very sensitive joint. There are a few people in the country that have been specially trained to do ankle joint replacements. I would highly recommend any patients considering an ankle joint replacement to go to a foot and ankle specialist that has been specifically trained in that procedure because it’s much less forgiving than a knee or hip joint replacement, and the longevity of the prosthesis, while getting close to hips and knees, is not quite the same, and so it requires much more follow-up and close attention and observation over time.