Ankle Replacement

[lavana1]

hi kira ,
my name levana ,
i would love to speak to you about your op and contact overseas as im interested in going over .im 39 and fractured my leg 2 years ago and hobble every where in pain , have had 4 op.no cartliage and lots of pain.kind regards levana.

[lavana1]

hi to all,
my name is levana ,
im 39 years old and a active person.
my sport is horse riding , which i now do in a lot of pain ,but i love it.i have a great trust and bond with my horse and hope to compete again one day.2 years ago i came off a very naughty pony and fractured my ankle . I was plated and pinned . At that point i was in the dark thinking thing would be fixed ha ha ha! .since then ive had 3 ops and have found out i have no cartliage due to fragment left.until now ive felt very alone.im booked in for a replacement on the 26 of this month but feel uneasy about it as i have no info on what impant is being used .im very interest in going oversea after reading kirabs threads.
very confused at the moment as what to do , stay here verses travel , travels looking good oh what to do.
and thats the problem theres no one that will give you a straight answer or that you feel you can trust as they all say differant things.reading kirab threads has given me hope.
if anyone else has had a replacement here in oz land and has good reports please respond.find it hard to get info on melbourne surgeons
well anough of the tears boo whoo.get on with it ! .all the best levana

[KiraB]

Hi Levana,

Sorry I didn't reply earlier I went to thailand for the weekend (and was able to walk down the beach! Yay!)

Sorry to hear about your leg! I would be very hesitant to have the operation in Oz with that surgeon if he will not even tell you the name of the implant he will be using! Have you rung his secretary and asked? she should know, and how many he has done previously and the initial success rate and also his longer term success rates. Do NOT have the operation if you feel in the dark, maybe go and have another pre-op appointment and discuss everything with him and then decide whether you feel comfortable with it or want to go overseas. If you can find out the type of implant he is planning on using before you see him, then I can help you with some detailed questions to ask him if you want.

I would be happy to answer any questions that you have re going to see Beat Hintermann. I don't like to post his email address as I obviously will be dealing with him for many years and don't want every tom dick and harry pestering him with emails if they are not seriously contemplating going to see him. Hopefully you understand.

If you want to talk on skype about the situation I would be more than happy to do that, as you don't have much time left before your operation date.

As far as I go, well my leg is great, infact so great in general life that I get VERY frustrated when it gives me any grief at all. Like after walking down the beach for an hour it is tired and starts to get quite sore and tired... I mean I am only 4 months post op and well it feels like so long ago since there has been so much improvement. My muscles are still getting stronger and tendons and liganments lengthening, doing things they haven't done for years... I sometimes have to remind myself it isn't yet normal and it has only been 4 months! By 2 years (total recovery time) I'll be awesome! I would like to say that I still haven't had any painkillers since 2 weeks post op either! So when I say sore...well it is nothing like pre-ankle replacment sore, more like...when you over do any form of exercise sore... if that makes sense hehe

ok well keep me posted!

Kira

[Jimbono]

To ALL

I have read alot of comments about ankle fusion and have not considered a replacement until today. I am in a very bad way. Many injuries have led to a serverly debilitating ankle, 4o years of age with three kids and one on the way. I am looking for some advice as to the best options...Is the recovery after the ankle replacement faster. What are the limitations? Can you ski and run after a replacement?

Thanks For the input.

Jim

[KiraB]

Hiya, the limitations need to be discussed with the surgeon performing the operation as they depend on the implant. You will not be able to run, you will be able to ski. If the replacement is a weight-baring recovery then yes in my opinion it is easier, if it is non-weightbearing then it is probably much of a muchness. However I am not a doctor, go and talk to a specialst who does both operations.
kira

[tess50]

Hi Kira IM tEss age 50 just had a ankle replacement 2 weeks ago am at home now with full plaster cast.So far so good i had severe rheumatoid arthritis on embrel various drugs but in the last year it was awfull i was offered a fusion or replacement but my surgeon said i would get better movement and pain free with this.So im here to tell the tale,had my op 5th november was in a back slab for 3 days the had plaster put on to my knee,so far its looking good had a bit of pain but had a pc morphine pump whilst in hospital so that helped,i go and have the sutures out tomorrow xray again remove plaster and maybe a lighter cast,not sure yet,i am a very strong willed person so i hope it works,the surgeon says it was a success but said weightbear no problem with a special shoe,i suppose i am scared that this may damage the prosthesis after a short time but he must know,i walk with a frame a walker just 20 metres average in my home just to go to loo,and im at home as i have very steep stairs going into my flat and no lift.but at least being wintertime its no reason to go out,i still have aches inside of my ankle but i suppose its early days 2 weeks on.i think you are right anyone needs replacement talk to your docter or surgeon as it is a major operation and there is so much information now available on the internet gave me lot of courage before the op,i will let you all know tomorrow the outcome after my sutures are removed. tess.

[KiraB]

Hey Tess,

Good luck tomorrow let us know how it goes.

I am not sure what implant you had? I had the hintegra, and I was told it was important for me to weightbear as soon as I could, I was very nervous at first, but did what they told me, they were very insistent, and I was walking around the house without crutches by 2 weeks, so if it is the same implant, then definately try and walk a bit more. My implant looks great apparently and I am so happy with it at 4 months.

keep us posted on your progress!

Kira

[tess50]

Hi Kira and everyone,its almost 5 weeks since the operation,im doing okay,had the sutures out and stitches which wasnt that bad as people said,infact it was fine,now replastered until 12th december and then off with the plaster.I dont know what implant it was,i will ask on wednesday.So far im feeling great in myself,i spend time on my computer,sleeping and watching tv but now have started moving about more.I have the walker still which helps me very much,i walked from one end of my flat to the other without walker so im slowly getting there.The scar hurts a bit,did yours?Ithink i will be xrayed next week at the clinic and if everythings okay and the implant has bonded with the bone,i will have a special boot for a while at least i can be more mobile and go to physio,infact i have just found a Hydrotherapy pool in my area,so i will go there 2 times a week for the healing process,my surgeon advised me.The plaster is getting a bit loose now as the swellings all gone down,so im counting the days.Will talk to you after 12th,glad you are doing okay and its working.Tess.

[KiraB]

Hey Tess,

Great to hear about your progress! Congrats on walking across the room without the walker! Are you not walking more without the walker because of pain, a little scared to, been told by the doctor not too? (just out of interest) I remember I was a bit hesitant but my surgeon was so adamant that I was soon toddling around the place without any problems.

My scar didn't hurt, but then I had a different boot to sleep in and walk in, and could have it so that only the back of the boot was on, so my scar didn't get irritated by the cast since if it was starting to I would just change things around. However, in previous ops with a hard cast my scar has got irritated especially once the cast doesn't fit properly as swelling goes down! So life will be great for you when you change to your boot.

Well fill me in after your appointment on the 12th, I am off cycling from bangkok to phnom penh on the 15th (it is 600+km) so excited!!! Oh the new ankle is so great!

all the best

Kira

[leslie]

My dad is 65 and in great shape. However, he needs ankle replacement surgery (bone on bone) and doesn't want a fusion as that would be the end of many of his activities/sports. He lives in the US and as you know they are behind on this type of thing. He thinks he would prefer the new Salto (without cement). He has seen a Dr. at the Cleavland Clinic that does them but has only done a few. All Drs. in the US have only don't a few as it was just approved. He has read the book by the surgeon who created the Hintegra who discusses all the different choices. I think he is a bit nervous about getting it done in Europe or somewhere else but is more nervous as to which one to choose and how to go about getting a Dr.who can do it. There is an awesome seminar in Paris this weekend on this specific topic. All the big Drs. are there and I almost wanted to fly over and see what today's research is saying as it changes so much. Any advice you have would be very much appreciated.
Thanks so much,
Leslie Davison
lesliedavison@hotmail.com