Publication Name	World Journal of Orthopedics
Manuscript ID	118518
Country	India

Category	Orthopedics
Manuscript Type	Letter to the Editor
Article Title	Learning curve considerations in lateral-approach total ankle replacement
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Raktim Swarnakar
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Raktim Swarnakar, Assistant Professor, MD, Faculty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Cancer Insitute, Jhajjar Campus, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, Delhi, India. raktimswarnakar@hotmail.com
Key Words	Total ankle replacement; Learning curve; Lateral approach; Patient-reported outcome measures; Surgical complications
Core Tip	This letter highlight that in lateral-approach total ankle replacement, patient-reported pain and functional outcomes can stabilize early in a surgeon’s experience, while operative efficiency and complication rates continue to improve with increasing case volume. By integrating validated outcome measures with technical and safety metrics, the in-press study demonstrates that the learning curve of this complex procedure is multidimensional rather than linear. Careful patient selection and preoperative optimization-particularly in patients with inflammatory arthritis-remain critical during the early learning phase, and structured training pathways may facilitate safer adoption of the lateral approach.
Citation	Swarnakar R. Learning curve considerations in lateral-approach total ankle replacement. World J Orthop 2026; In press

Received	2026-01-05 03:09
Peer-Review Started	2026-01-05 03:14
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-01-20 08:22
Return for Revision	2026-01-20 08:22
Revised	2026-01-25 08:11
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-03-09 02:44
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-03-09 10:34
Articles in Press	2026-03-09 10:34
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	2218-5836 (online)
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