and marrow composition plates and screws or a combination thereof fig1 shows one method of fusing the talus 15 to the calcaneus 17 using a stem 110 a plate 130 and screws 133 a 133 b the talo calcaneal stem 110 is shown with a morse taper 115 a protruding from the stem 110 and extending beyond the proximal top surface of the talus 15 in another embodiment the morse taper could extend down from the talar component into the stem fig1 also shows an arrangement in which the lower end of the tibia has not been cut and does not carry a prosthesis the talo calcaneal stem 110 may be made of various materials commonly used in the prosthetic arts including but not limited to titanium titanium alloys tantalum chrome cobalt surgical steel or any other total joint replacement metal and or ceramic bony in growth surface sintered glass artificial bone any uncemented metal or ceramic surface or a combination thereof the talo calcaneal stem 110 may further be covered with various coatings such as antimicrobial antithrombotic and osteoinductive agents or a combination thereof these agents may further be carried in a biodegradable carrier material with which the pores of the surface of the talo calcaneal stem 110 may be impregnated see u s pat no 5 947 893 which is incorporated herein by reference if desired the talo calcaneal stem may be coated and or formed from a material allowing bony in growth such as a porous mesh hydroxyapetite or other.