A total ankle replacement system, novel surgical method for total ankle
replacement, and novel surgical tools for performing the surgical method
are described. The total ankle replacement system includes the calcaneus
in fixation of a lower prosthesis body, thereby significantly increasing
the amount of bone available for fixation of the lower prosthesis body
and allowing the lower prosthesis body to be anchored with screws. The
total ankle replacement system further includes a long tibial stem which
can also be anchored into the tibia with, for example, screws, nails,
anchors, or some other means of attachment. The novel surgical
arthroscopic method allows introduction of ankle prostheses into the
ankle joint through an exposure in the tibial tubercle. Various novel
surgical instruments, such as a telescoping articulating reamer and a
talo-calcaneal jig, which facilitate the novel surgical method, are also
described.
