My Ankle Fusion experiences.
Joan Gray
Previously posted:
>>It's not a real fun surgery to go through. Actually the surgery isn't
>>bad it's the recovery exspecially if you live in a northern climate.
>>I'll go into details if anyone is interested.
>
> I wish you'd explain more about this, Kane...
>
>Sue Bohlin
>----------------
>God's love is stronger than our pain.
>
I had my first ankle fusion when I was in my early teens on my bad
ankle to stop it from dropping and improve my gait, at least that is what I
was told. I was in a cast for 3 months, then took another few months before
I was walking as much as before the surgery.
When I was 33, my good ankle was in constant pain due to the ankle
being overworked and degenerative arthritis. I had three doctors confirm
that I needed a fusion to end the pain, one said I might be able to have an
osteotomy instead, but eventually it would need to be fused. I researched
the different options, found out that there were many different ways that
they could actually do the surgery, and consulted with the surgeon on the
best method to use. (I didn't want to lose any leg length, which some method
will do.) So, had the surgery, and expected to have the same sort of
recovery as when I was a teen. But, the fusion wasn't solid after 6 months.
I had read that there was a 20% failure rate with all types of fusions, but
didn't think that it would happen to me. My choices:
have a bone graft surgery or use an electromagnetic bone stimulator for 4-6
months. Both options had about the same rate of success. I chose the
later, and 16 months after the original surgery it was finally fused.
So, the lessons I learned were:
1. Don't expect to heal as fast as you did when you were a teen.
2. Despite doing everything you can before the surgery, you can not
predict the outcome.
3. Surgery still hurts a lot, and it is best to avoided if at all
possible.
4. Doing research on my own gave me the option to avoid another sugery
for a bone graft. I'm not sure this would have been the surgeons
suggestion if I hadn't brought it up.
Everyone is different, but sometimes I think that some of us who have
had polio and a bunch of surgeries tend to think that this is the quick fix
to our problems. As we age, I think we need to look at other options we
might have.
Joan