The Broadlawns Foot and Ankle Clinic is restoring mobility for patients with innovative new technology for total ankle replacements. 

In April 2019, Broadlawns was one of the first medical centers in the nation to implement 3D printed talus bones in surgeries. The 3D printer creates a mirror image of a patient’s healthy talus bone and builds an artificial replacement with cobalt chromium or titanium.  

Without this technology, patients have pins inserted to hold ankles in place, or surgeons tear out damaged bone and replace it with bone grafts. These treatment options can result in complications, long healing time, chronic pain and loss of mobility.  

With the 3D implant, patients are in a cast for just two weeks before transitioning to a boot and starting physical therapy. Most patients are back on their feet in six to eight weeks. 

The foot and ankle team first tried a 3D printed talus bone on a patient who had fractured his talus in another state. His local hospital tried to fix it, but the bone got infected and died. As a result, the patient had also worn out his ankle joint and the bottom of his tibia.  

The surgical team removed all of the dead bone from the patient’s foot and replaced it with the 3D talus. Soon, the patient could walk normally again, and Broadlawns started using the technology more. The medical center now performs 12-15 total ankle replacements with 3D talus bones every year, and patients come from all over the country. 

While other medical centers have started using 3D printed talus bones, the Broadlawns Foot and Ankle Clinic remains one of the largest. Dr. Mica Murdoch, surgeon, believes Broadlawns is the right hospital system for this kind of innovative technology because the staff is willing to learn and adapt to new technologies.  

“Broadlawns allows me to do the work I think is best for my patients,” he said. “It’s a community that is very open to moving forward with new treatments and therapies so they can stay on the cutting edge of what’s happening in the community.”