Throughout time, a decade marks how long it takes to gain mastery. It highlights the maturation, resilience and impact of an individual, group, company or product.
Share this article
0+
Legacy of
Clinical Use
0k+
Global Vantage
Ankle Cases
2016
Vantage Ankle
Inception
For more than 10 years, the Vantage® Total Ankle System has transformed the lives of patients across the world. More than 11,000 Vantage Ankle cases have been performed globally, helping patients get back to what they love.
As we reflect on a decade of clinical use, we want to celebrate the Vantage Ankle legacy, impact and vision for the next 10 years.
The Vantage Legacy – A New Perspective in Total Ankle Arthroplasty (TAA)
In 2016, a team of world-class global surgeon thought leaders and engineers gathered to ask, “can we do better” in TAA surgery. The result of their collaboration was the creation of a new total ankle implant system designed to address then-current clinical challenges. The Vantage Ankle design goals were straightforward – address subsidence, implant loosening, bone cysts, instability, polyethylene revision and impingement.
“When we started conceptualizing what the Vantage Ankle would look like 10 years ago, we wanted to ensure we were designing a product that truly addressed challenges we all faced in the O.R., and not another me-too solution. Using those issues as our guides, we created a product that has withstood the test of time,” said James DeOrio, MD, of Duke Health. “I’m proud to offer my patients a solution that I feel is world-class in total ankle arthroplasty and have seen firsthand how it positively impacts their lives.”
The original Vantage Ankle surgeon design team (left to right, top to bottom): Prof. Victor Valderrabano, MD, PhD, Mark Easley, MD, James Nunley, MD, and James DeOrio, MD
The system first launched in the U.S. with a low-profile tibial component, polyethylene liner, unique locking clip and curved talus implant, followed by its mobile-bearing counterpart in Europe. The Vantage Ankle Mobile Bearing System was recently awarded a 3A* rating by the Orthopaedic Data Evaluation Panel (ODEP), a widely respected U.K. benchmark for orthopedic implant performance and longevity. The 3A* rating reflects strong clinical evidence supporting the system’s performance over time.
X-rays from one of the first Vantage Ankle cases performed by Mark Easley, MD
Since its inception, the Vantage Ankle portfolio has grown to include new enabling technologies like surgical navigation, as well as vitamin E stabilized polyethylene, stemmed tibias and patient-specific instrumentation.
The Vantage Impact
Several papers have highlighted the clinical impact of the Vantage Ankle:
Independent retrospective study performed by Aaron T. Scott, MD, Matthew A. King, DPM, and Bryanna D. Vesley, DPM, at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Salem, N.C. All surgeries were performed by Dr. Scott, an independent researcher.
Includes 22 consecutive patients with an average of 24.6 months follow-up
Study reported positive results and demonstrated a reduction in pain scores, low complication rates and a 100 percent implant survivorship at short-term follow-up.
All surgeries were performed by Vantage Ankle design team surgeon Prof. Victor Valderrabano, MD, PhD.
Includes 49 consecutive patients with a one-year minimum follow-up
Study reported no revisions, statistically significant decreases in pain scores (p < 0.00001) and statistically significant increases in range of motion, both compared to pre-operative results (p < 0.00001 and p < 0.0001, respectively).
All surgeries were performed by independent researcher Massimiliano Mosca, MD, of Italy’s Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli.
Includes 39 patients with a one-year minimum follow-up
Study reported no revisions, statistically significant decreases in pain scores and statistically significant increases in range of motion, both compared to pre-operative results (p < 0.05).
Prospective study co-authored by Vantage Ankle design team surgeon Victor Valderrabano, MD, PhD, and features use of the Vantage Ankle Mobile Bearing System.
Includes 103 patients (105 implants) with an average follow-up of 2.9 years
Study reported 54.3% increase in sports activity among participants post-surgery (p<0.001 compared to pre-operatively), as well as significant improvements in motion (mean DF/PF ROM was 24.9° preoperative [range, 0–60°] and 52.9° postoperative [range, 15–85°; p < 0.001], AOFAS Ankle/Hindfoot functional scores [preoperative 39.5 points versus 97.8 points postoperatively; p < 0.001] and pain [preoperative 6.7 points [range, 3–10 points] versus 0.2 points postoperatively; p < 0.001]).
One notable finding includes a large increase in hiking among patients, suggesting a regain of confidence in weight-bearing recreational activities.
In addition to the above data, the Vantage Ankle has revolutionized TAA with its introduction of the world’s first navigation system for TAA, Advita GPS™ Ankle.
GPS Ankle first launched in 2024 and is compatible with the Vantage Ankle system.
GPS Ankle is a first-of-its-kind technology, which connects the preoperative plan with real-time intraoperative instrument guidance and confirms that resections meet the surgical plan. The system, developed by Advita Ortho subsidiary Blue Ortho, uses proprietary active tracker technology and a compact touchscreen tablet in the sterile field to provide surgeons with dynamic intraoperative feedback throughout their cases. Based on pre-clinical bench testing and sawbones studies, it reports an accuracy of 2mm and 2 degrees relative to the CT-surgical plan.5-7 Its integrated CT visibility may also reduce potential fluoroscopy time.
“GPS Ankle provides intraoperative flexibility to confirm resections and alter a variety of factors like implant size and degrees of rotation. Its touchscreen technology within the sterile field and availability without capital cost make it a no brainer for me, and I’m proud to have been part of the design team of this unique technology,” said Prof. Victor Valderrabano, MD, PhD, of the Swiss Ortho Center Clinic in Basel, Switzerland.
What’s Ahead
On the horizon are several exciting advancements for GPS Ankle, including the addition of a preoperative planning app, the introduction of more 3D-printed implants and a revision system.
“What excites me most about the future of the Vantage Ankle is how we’re building on our proven foundation and continuing to ask, ‘can we do better.’ We’re focused on leveraging the latest data, surgical technologies and clinical feedback to create orthopedic solutions that not only enhance surgical performance but also address unmet clinical needs,” said Advita Ortho Director of Engineering and Development Matt Hamilton.
“There is tremendous opportunity to help patients move with greater confidence, comfort and freedom, and we can’t wait for the next 10 years.”
King M., Vesley B., Scott A. Early Outcomes with the Vantage Total Ankle Prosthesis. 2022. Foot & Ankle Surgery: Techniques, Reports & Cases. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fastrc.2021.100121.
Alsayel F. et al. l. Mobile Anatomical Total Ankle Arthroplasty – Improvement of Talus Recentralization. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021 Feb; 10 (3):554. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fjcm10030554
Mosca M. et al. Clinical Radiographical Outcomes and Complications After a Brand-New Total Ankle Replacement Design Through an Anterior Approach: A Retrospective Short-Term Follow-Up. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021 Jun; 10 (11):2258. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fjcm10112258.
Santini S, Marinozzi A, Talia AJ, Herrera-Rodríguez A, Herrera-Pérez M, Valderrabano V. Sports Activity with Ankle Osteoarthritis and Total Ankle Arthroplasty. J Clin Med. 2024 Nov 24;13(23):7099. doi: 10.3390/jcm13237099. PMID: 39685558; PMCID: PMC11641999.
Rueff MC, Tupper Z, Hamilton M, Chinimilli P, Gulbransen S, Prouvost L, Haupt ET, Angibaud L, Ing. D. Accuracy and Precision
Evaluation of Image-Based Computer Assisted Surgical System for Total Ankle Arthroplasty. Foot Ankle Orthop. 2024 Dec 19;9(4):2473011424S00123. doi: 10.1177/2473011424S00123. PMCID: PMC11660383.
Rueff MC, Tupper Z, Hamilton M, et al. Evaluation of Error Sources for an Image-Based Computer Assisted Surgical System for Total Ankle Arthroplasty. Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics.2024;9(4). doi:10.1177/2473011424S00276.
Lopez R, Herbel C, Rueff M, Tupper Z, Hamilton M, Gulbransen S, Diep P, Angibaud L, Haupt E. Accuracy and Precision of Computer-Assisted Surgery Compared with Conventional Instrumentation for Total Ankle Arthroplasty. Foot Ankle Orthop. 2025 Dec 23;10(4):2473011425S00107. doi: 10.1177/2473011425S00107. PMCID: PMC12743987.
The Vantage Ankle is manufactured by Exactech, Inc. and distributed by Advita Ortho, LLC. Advita GPS is manufactured by Blue Ortho SAS, an Advita Ortho subsidiary, and distributed by Advita Ortho, LLC. Visit advita.com for information on product availability in your country.
Used by the content network, Cloudflare, to identify trusted web traffic.
session
cf_ob_info
The cf_ob_info cookie provides information on: The HTTP Status Code returned by the origin web server. The Ray ID of the original failed request. The data center serving the traffic
session
__cfseq
Sequence rules uses cookies to track the order of requests a user has made and the time between requests and makes them available via Cloudflare Rules. This allows you to write rules that match valid or invalid sequences. The specific cookies used to validate sequences are called sequence cookies.
session
cf_clearance
Whether a CAPTCHA or Javascript challenge has been solved.
session
_cfuvid
The _cfuvid cookie is only set when a site uses this option in a Rate Limiting Rule, and is only used to allow the Cloudflare WAF to distinguish individual users who share the same IP address.
session
__cflb
When enabling session affinity with Cloudflare Load Balancer, Cloudflare sets a __cflb cookie with a unique value on the first response to the requesting client. Cloudflare routes future requests to the same origin, optimizing network resource usage. In the event of a failover, Cloudflare sets a new __cflb cookie to direct future requests to the failover pool.
session
__cf_bm
Cloudflare's bot products identify and mitigate automated traffic to protect your site from bad bots. Cloudflare places the __cf_bm cookie on End User devices that access Customer sites that are protected by Bot Management or Bot Fight Mode. The __cf_bm cookie is necessary for the proper functioning of these bot solutions.
session
cf_chl_rc_m
These cookies are for internal use which allows Cloudflare to identify production issues on clients.
session
cf_chl_rc_ni
These cookies are for internal use which allows Cloudflare to identify production issues on clients.
session
cf_chl_rc_i
These cookies are for internal use which allows Cloudflare to identify production issues on clients.
session
__cfwaitingroom
The __cfwaitingroom cookie is only used to track visitors that access a waiting room enabled host and path combination for a zone. Visitors using a browser that does not accept cookies cannot visit the host and path combination while the waiting room is active.
session
cf_use_ob
The cf_use_ob cookie informs Cloudflare to fetch the requested resource from the Always Online cache on the designated port. Applicable values are: 0, 80, and 443. The cf_ob_info and cf_use_ob cookies are persistent cookies that expire after 30 seconds.
session
Google reCAPTCHA helps protect websites from spam and abuse by verifying user interactions through challenges.
Name
Description
Duration
_GRECAPTCHA
Google reCAPTCHA sets a necessary cookie (_GRECAPTCHA) when executed for the purpose of providing its risk analysis.
179 days
Google Tag Manager simplifies the management of marketing tags on your website without code changes.
Name
Description
Duration
td
Registers statistical data on users' behaviour on the website. Used for internal analytics by the website operator.
session
cookiePreferences
Registers cookie preferences of a user
2 years
These cookies are used for managing login functionality on this website.
Name
Description
Duration
wordpress_test_cookie
Used to determine if cookies are enabled.
Session
wordpress_sec
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
15 days
wordpress_logged_in
Used to store logged-in users.
Persistent
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks and analyzes website traffic for informed marketing decisions.
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
1 minute
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
_gac_
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
Vimeo is a video hosting platform for high-quality content, ideal for creators and businesses to showcase their work.
Collects analytical tracking information about videos and enables the player to function properly.
2 years
sd_identity
Collects analytical tracking information about videos and enables the player to function properly.
2 years
continuous_play_v3
Used to keep track of whether continuous play is on or not for a user
2 years
Player
This first party cookie created by Vimeo is used to remember user’s player mode preferences.
1 minute
vuid
This first party cookie created by Vimeo is used to assign a Vimeo Analytics unique id.
1 minute
SourceBuster is used by WooCommerce for order attribution based on user source.
Name
Description
Duration
sbjs_migrations
Technical data to help with migrations between different versions of the tracking feature
session
sbjs_current_add
Timestamp, referring URL, and entry page for your visitor’s current visit to your store
session
sbjs_first_add
Timestamp, referring URL, and entry page for your visitor’s first visit to your store (only applicable if the visitor returns before the session expires)
session
sbjs_current
Traffic origin information for the visitor’s current visit to your store
session
sbjs_first
Traffic origin information for the visitor’s first visit to your store (only applicable if the visitor returns before the session expires)
session
sbjs_udata
Information about the visitor’s user agent, such as IP, the browser, and the device type
session
sbjs_session
The number of page views in this session and the current page path
30 minutes
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
Facebook Pixel is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.
