Mobile- and fixed-bearing total ankle prostheses: is there really a difference?

Approximately 1% of the world's adult population is affected by ankle osteoarthritis (OA). Therapeutic options include conservative and surgical measures. Because of substantial progress in total ankle replacement, ankle fusion is no longer the "gold standard" therapy for end-stage ankle OA. Various ankle prostheses have been designed and are currently available. This article reviews the in vitro studies addressing the biomechanics and kinematics of the replaced ankle. Furthermore, a systematic literature review was conducted to assess possible differences in clinical outcomes, including prosthesis survivorship and postoperative range of motion between mobile- and fixed-bearing total ankle prostheses.