Pain Relief, Function, Quality of Life & Long-Term Outcomes If you are living with ankle arthritis in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, the Hunter Valley or the Central Coast , you may have been told that ankle fusion is the only surgical option. Modern Total Ankle Replacement (TAR)  — also called total ankle arthroplasty — is now a well-established treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis. Contemporary research shows strong improvements in pain, walking ability and overall