Exchange of the liner in Mobility Ankle replacements (Depuy Orthopedics Inc., Warsaw, IN 46582, USA) for infection, wear, or to change the size can be troublesome. Getting purchase on the liner is difficult, it is under soft tissue tension, and semi-constrained due to the contouring of the liner. The use of metal instruments to lever it out can damage the articular surfaces of the implant. We insert a 3.5 mm small fragment screw into the anterior aspect of the liner (Fig. 1). The screw head is gripped with an artery clip or pliers to facilitate removal of the liner without trauma to the joint surfaces.
Figure 1.
Representation of the technique.