Patent ID: 7011687

Claim:
A method comprising: providing an ankle prosthesis having (i) a tibial component defining a bearing space and an access opening, and (ii) a first bearing component; attaching the tibial component to a distal end portion of a tibia of a patient so that the access opening faces anteriorly; placing the first bearing component into the bearing space defined by the tibial component; after a period of use of the ankle prosthesis in the patient and while the tibial component is attached to tibia, removing the first bearing component from the tibial component by advancing the first bearing component in a posterior-to-anterior direction, wherein the first bearing component is advanced out of the bearing space and through the access opening in response to the first bearing component being advanced in the posterior-to-anterior direction; providing a second bearing component; and after the first bearing component removing step and while the tibial component is attached to tibia, advancing the second bearing component in an anterior-to-posterior direction, wherein the second bearing component is advanced through the access opening and into the bearing space in response to the second bearing component being advanced in the anterior-to-posterior direction.