A post-traumatic fracture, sprain or other injury to the foot and ankle area can cause ankle arthritis, where the padding, or cartilage, in the ankle joint wears out, leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness in the ankle. If severe enough, foot and ankle replacement surgery, or ankle arthroscopy, may be recommended to alleviate the constant pain and swelling in the ankle joint. 

As the name implies, foot and ankle replacement surgery involves the replacement of a worn out or damaged ankle joint with an artificial implant. With an incision in your ankle to access the affected joint, ankle replacement surgery involves the removal of the damaged parts of the shinbone, or tibia, and the top of a bone of your foot known as the talus, and the successful attachment of the artificial implant to the remaining bone surfaces on your foot. The goal of total ankle replacement surgery is to maintain ankle motion as well as avoid developing arthritis in the adjacent foot joints.