ankle replacement

vtr_rob
vtr_rob Member Posts: 2
edited 12. Feb 2009, 20:40 in Living with Arthritis archive
hi has anybody out there had an ankle replacement? or know of any one willing to talk about it? gotta know cos its a big decision and one i dont want to get wrong. cheers rob

Comments

  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,395
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I know of two people who've had it done but unfortunately neither are part of this forum - both were successful though - if that's any help. :)

    Luv Legs
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • jools22
    jools22 Member Posts: 20
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I believe that it all depends on your own situation, I've worked with older people, seen many "replacements" and other than hip replacement none of the others have been siccessful.. I am dead against them .. it is too final...
    I was told that my knees would need to be replaced .... eventually (over my dead body) I said... which did not go down very well with the surgeon :oops: personally, I'd rather buy a scooter....
    This is only my opinion... hope you have other options and try them all before going for such a drastic op.
    Good luck !!!
    Jools
  • tiggernut
    tiggernut Member Posts: 339
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    vtr_rob wrote:
    hi has anybody out there had an ankle replacement? or know of any one willing to talk about it? gotta know cos its a big decision and one i dont want to get wrong. cheers rob


    Hi Rob,

    I had an ankle replacement done 5 years ago.
    I have great movement almost as much as my other ankle.
    However, I do get swelling by the end of the day and sometimes I get pain but not from the main ankle joint I think it comes from the other bones in there.plus my arches are not what they should be.
    Even so it is much better than before and I would not hesitate to have the other one down if and when it's needed.
    There is nothing worse than that unbearable pain when you stand up and start to walk!!
    Mine was done at the Nuffield orthodepic hospital in Oxford UK. It was the Star ankle joint I think it's scandinavian the one to avoid is apprently the Bath ankle joint.
    I was six weeks in a removeable cast which was great no having to stick knitting needles down it to have a scratch lol!
    You can weight bare with crutches the day after the op and I was back driving at 6 weeks if I'd have had an automatic then I could have driven straight away as it was my left ankle.
    As far as I remenber the front bit of the cast came off after 6 weeks the the back bit is just for a couple of weeks after that.
    But when you are watching TV you can just take the cast off to excercise it.
    If you are in the US you may want to check out the Buechel-Pappas ankle joint implant. I read about it before I had mine done but they don't do it here but it was Dr Feldman who I contacted and he gave me Mr Cookes name at the Nuffiled.
    Good luck.
  • marief
    marief Member Posts: 26
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi rob

    I had both ankels replaced about 4 years ago in total a years worth of surgey one of the hardest opp's I've had But with the best results ever .

    Before the replacement on my right ankel i was walking on the outside edge and the inside edge on the left no movement in any ankel . both ankel's were so bad that they had colapsed and fused together .

    Now i have up and down movement no pain and no stiffness my walking is so much better .

    make sure you no what to expect after my surgey I had to have a hospital bed in my front room as I have a down stairs bathroom and my first ankel opp was none-weightbareing so I had to be wheeled to the bathroom on a conmode and wheeled back. the reason for this is that I couldn't use the crutches as I have bad Arthritis in elbows, second on was weight-bareing so I could move about a bit but I still used the hospital bed as going up and downs stair was hard work .

    ( the bed was supplyed by the hospital the OT sorted this out )

    Marie

    good luck
  • plmb48
    plmb48 Member Posts: 125
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    vtr_rob wrote:
    hi has anybody out there had an ankle replacement? or know of any one willing to talk about it? gotta know cos its a big decision and one i dont want to get wrong. cheers rob
    hi everyone i am new to your forum cant belive this topic i have to have ankle replaced early next year most of my questions have now been answered thanks for help .pauline . :P
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,395
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    [/quote]hi everyone i am new to your forum cant belive this topic i have to have ankle replaced early next year most of my questions have now been answered thanks for help .pauline . :P[/quote]

    Hi Pauline,

    I'd like to welcome to you to the forum, the great thing about it is any questions you have you'll find someone on here who'll be able to answer you.

    Keep posting.

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • jools22
    jools22 Member Posts: 20
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Im very pleased that replacemements have been sucessful to the members of the forum, It has changed my mind and I've learned not to be so sceptical... fear is bad, no doubt... perhaps pain is fogging my brain.... :?
    Jools
  • xxloulou
    xxloulou Member Posts: 12
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    vtr_rob wrote:
    hi has anybody out there had an ankle replacement? or know of any one willing to talk about it? gotta know cos its a big decision and one i dont want to get wrong. cheers rob

    Hi Rob, I had an ankle replacement 20yrs ago and it was great for about 10yrs but then disintegrated (it was a Bath ankle) and I was told the re-replacements aren't very successful. I mention this cos if you are young you might want to think about its life span etc. Of course fusions have their own problems, they can cause pain in other joints such as knee and hip.