Dr. Mauriello Offers Latest Technology for Ankle Replacement
Dr. Gerald Mauriello, Jr., a podiatric surgeon at AOSMI (Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute), Freehold, and a DPM (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine) of Advanced Foot Ankle Institute, a division of AOSMI, PC, has begun offering treatment for ankle arthritis using the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement system (STAR™ Ankle), a technology that the F.D.A. approved last year.
The STAR ankle replacement uses similar materials and technology to those used in knee and hip replacement implants and has rapidly become the leading choice of U.S. surgeons after its long term success in Europe.
Following clinical trials, the STAR ankle received FDA pre-market approval as an alternative to such invasive procedures as mechanically fusing bones in ankle joints affected by various forms of severe arthritis. Fusion has been a common procedure that reduces ankle pain but significantly restricts the joint’s mobility; and, therefore, limits physical activity.
The STAR Ankle is offered as an alternative to fusion for those suffering with post traumatic arthritis, osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis of the ankle joint. This system helps to optimize ankle movement and function by creating a new surface that replaces the arthritic ankle joint. As a result of the surgery, the typical patient can usually walk normally and engage in activities, such as golf and hiking.
Dr. Mauriello, who was among only a handful of New Jersey surgeons invited to train in this procedure, said, “The STAR Ankle, which closely replicates the natural movement of the human ankle, allows the patient to retain and regain some of a person’s normal ankle mobility and function. While total ankle replacement is relatively new in the United States, it has proven to be a superior alternative to joint fusion procedures.
Roger A. Mann, MD, Oakland Bone & Joint Specialists, Oakland, California, past president of AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society) and consulting surgeon at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, Vail, Colorado, said, “For those of us who participated in the clinical trial and have observed the successful clinical outcomes in our patients, this may well be a meaningful moment in orthopedics, similar to those we’ve seen in hips, knees and spine.”
Dr. Mauriello is also a member of the orthopedics department at CentraState Medical Center and also has a private practice in Freehold, N.J. For further information contact Dr. Mauriello at AOSMI (732) 720-2555.
About Dr. Mauriello: Dr. Mauriello is an associate of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), a fellow of the American College of Lower Extremity Surgeons, and an associate fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. In 2008, Dr. Mauriello completed a fellowship in Lower Extremity Traumatology at the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics in Kurgan, Siberia.
Dr. Mauriello earned his D.P.M. (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine) from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, New York, in 2004. He received his master’s degree in health and behavior studies with a concentration in health education in 2002 from Columbia University, Teachers College, New York, where he was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi National Honors Society; and his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rutgers University, Newark, N.J., in 1996.
Dr. Mauriello was honored with the Service Award from Saint Barnabas Medical Center. He has had several of his research articles published, including diabetic limb salvage and the management of a lower extremity deformity associated with Russell-Silver syndrome, among others.
The Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute (AOSMI) is an orthopedic practice located at Pond View Professional Park, 301 Professional View Drive, Freehold, and 312 Applegarth Road, Monroe Township. The board-certified surgeons at AOSMI, who have a combined 100 years of experience, provide advanced medical care. For more information, call 732-720-2555 or visit www.AdvancedOrthoSports.com.