Ankle Fusion

Malzhafer

Hello, I am new here and would like to know if anybody has any experience with ankle fusion. I had an injury where I fractured my right ankle some forty years ago. About 20 years ago it was diagnosed with osteo arthritis. Since then I was coping with various topical gels, the last one being Ibuleve 10%, but that does not work so well any more. I can only walk short distances and when I overdo it I get severe pain for at least the next two days. The consultant wants to operate and do ankle fusion, but only if the pain is severe enough. How much is severe enough? My quality of life is severely hampered. I would like to be able to go for walks with my dog and we are expecting our first grandchild where I would like to get involved.
Of course I am a bit worried about the operation, it is not always successful.
I don't know what the waiting list is like either.
Reading other people's problems, I suppose I should be grateful that I have it only in my ankle. I look forward to hearing from someone who knows something about this.
Sunshine

villier

Malzhafer wrote:

Hello, I am new here and would like to know if anybody has any experience with ankle fusion. I had an injury where I fractured my right ankle some forty years ago. About 20 years ago it was diagnosed with osteo arthritis. Since then I was coping with various topical gels, the last one being Ibuleve 10%, but that does not work so well any more. I can only walk short distances and when I overdo it I get severe pain for at least the next two days. The consultant wants to operate and do ankle fusion, but only if the pain is severe enough. How much is severe enough? My quality of life is severely hampered. I would like to be able to go for walks with my dog and we are expecting our first grandchild where I would like to get involved.
Of course I am a bit worried about the operation, it is not always successful.
I don't know what the waiting list is like either.
Reading other people's problems, I suppose I should be grateful that I have it only in my ankle. I look forward to hearing from someone who knows something about this.
Sunshine

Hi sunshine

Welcome to the forum and pleased to meet you, being the weekend the forums tend to be a bit quieter, I am afraid it is OA in hands I have and have had finger fusion and reckon going to have bone removed in my thumb soon, I think I have read about ankle fusion but having a memory problem I am not sure who, if you go to the search at the top of the page and type in ankle fusion in LWA hopefully will bring up any threads on it.
I am sure though you will get a lot more replies, sorry I couldn't be of more help to you,............hope to see you around...................tc..........Marie x

trepolpen

hi , which part of the ankle does your consultant want to fuse , several of us on here have had this done , had both of my ankles fused , in an opperation called Triple arthrodesis & will need the main ankle joint fused at some point

it takes about six months to recover from the opperation , six weeks in paster with no weight on it & then in air boot , only advice I would give is dont wait to long , you can get complications with waiting , & make sure you got a good surgeon doing it

villier

thanks trepolpen for that x

trepolpen

villier wrote:

thanks trepolpen for that x

sailrib had same opp earlier last month ,

Malzhafer

trepolpen wrote:

hi , which part of the ankle does your consultant want to fuse , several of us on here have had this done , had both of my ankles fused , in an opperation called Triple arthrodesis & will need the main ankle joint fused at some point

it takes about six months to recover from the opperation , six weeks in paster with no weight on it & then in air boot , only advice I would give is dont wait to long , you can get complications with waiting , & make sure you got a good surgeon doing it

Thank you for your advice. I don't know which part of the ankle needs to be fused, the pain is on top and there is bone growth there, bulging out. I think that I have already waited too long. How do I find a good surgeon? I saw someone at Prince Phillip Hospital in Llanelli and he seemed to be an expert and I had a good opinion, but I don't know his success record.
Sunshine

trepolpen

Malzhafer wrote:

trepolpen wrote:

hi , which part of the ankle does your consultant want to fuse , several of us on here have had this done , had both of my ankles fused , in an opperation called Triple arthrodesis & will need the main ankle joint fused at some point

it takes about six months to recover from the opperation , six weeks in paster with no weight on it & then in air boot , only advice I would give is dont wait to long , you can get complications with waiting , & make sure you got a good surgeon doing it

Thank you for your advice. I don't know which part of the ankle needs to be fused, the pain is on top and there is bone growth there, bulging out. I think that I have already waited too long. How do I find a good surgeon? I saw someone at Prince Phillip Hospital in Llanelli and he seemed to be an expert and I had a good opinion, but I don't know his success record.
Sunshine

we are not allowed to recomend consultants on here , only know the doctors here in Cornwall but if he sounds like he knows what he is doing it should be good , the ones here specialist here only do feet & ankles & are not general surgeons

personaly would not worry about the opp , pain free if thats the only problem with your ankle , the bone growth could be a spur & easy sorted , the compication with swelling of the ankle & damage to your circulation & if it is left to long they wont be able to repair it but that would take many years , chances are you dont have much option & its better to get it done sooner rather than later

bobbyger

I can definately recommend having it. I had one a couple of years ago and have not looked back since. I still get a little bit of aches and pain but that is minimal compared to what it was.
Driving is okay although I was a bit sore at the weekend but that was due to a 2 1/2 hour drive taking 4 hours in stop and go traffic (Right ankle fusion and constantly switching from brake to accelerator)
As said earlier, the recovery time is quite long, I was in a back cast for the first 2 weeks (I'd reccomend staying in a bungalow for that part if possible), 4 weeks with a full cast, then the cast was replaced and i was in that for another 4 weeks then it was onto an air boot for another 6 weeks.

Malzhafer

bobbyger wrote:

I can definately recommend having it. I had one a couple of years ago and have not looked back since. I still get a little bit of aches and pain but that is minimal compared to what it was.
Driving is okay although I was a bit sore at the weekend but that was due to a 2 1/2 hour drive taking 4 hours in stop and go traffic (Right ankle fusion and constantly switching from brake to accelerator)
As said earlier, the recovery time is quite long, I was in a back cast for the first 2 weeks (I'd reccomend staying in a bungalow for that part if possible), 4 weeks with a full cast, then the cast was replaced and i was in that for another 4 weeks then it was onto an air boot for another 6 weeks.

Hello, the terrible pain in my right ankle has now gone down a bit because I haven't used it that much. So I will probably put off the operation for a bit. I am just not sure about how much pain is too much. When I am in pain I want the operation t o m o r r o w and then it subsides and I want to wait. I will see my own doctor next week and discuss it with him.
I am nearly 73 years old, so I think, perhaps my ankle will last for the few years that I have left. I shall inquire about a cortisone/steroid injection.

barbara12

Hi Malzhafer
Sorry I wont be much help, but I see the others have given you some good advice..I just want to add my support and say welcome to the forum and I do wish you well with the op when you decide its time..
And its good to see bobbyger back with us how are you doing...

Malzhafer

barbara12 wrote:

Hi Malzhafer
Sorry I wont be much help, but I see the others have given you some good advice..I just want to add my support and say welcome to the forum and I do wish you well with the op when you decide its time..
And its good to see bobbyger back with us how are you doing...

Hello Barbara,
thank you for your advice. It is good to hear from people who have similar problems. I am such a coward. I just hope that by putting the op off, my ankle will not deteriorate even more. The consultant said that it was not the actual ankle but the bones behind that had a lot of damage. But to make a judgement for suitability of the ankle fusion he would have to take several scans. I saw him on 16. Jan. and he will see me again in January 2014. If I need an earlier appointment, I would have to go to my GP again. At the moment things are not too bad if I don't overdo it and keep treating with the 10% Ibugel twice a day.
Well, thanks again.
Love, Renate

maria09

Hi
I have not had this done but a friend of mine her husband has
What I would say from his experience if its your left ankle you will benefit from an automatic car just before his op they bought a new manual car but had to exchange it at a loss to them for an automatic as he could not use the manual without moving his whole leg up and down to change gear
Hope all goes well once you decide to go through with the operation
Maria