Ankle Replacement

[mic]

INFOMATION ON REPLACEMENT IN AUSTRALIA (HINTERGRA)

CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCE:
HELLO ALL, I'M MALE 31 FROM AUTRALIA. HAD INTERNAL FIXATION ON LEFT ANKLE AND SURGEONS TOLD ME I HAVE TOTALLY DEMOLISHED THE JOINT, BONE FRAGMENTS ALL THRU IT, AUDABLY "CRACKS" WHEN FLEXED. NO PAIN UNLESS WEIGHTBEARING OR MOVED. CALF MUSCLE AND THIGH MUSCLE ON RIGHT LEG HAVE BECOME NOTICEABLY SMALLER DUE TO LIMPING. ANYWAY, IT WAS BROKEN AT THE END OF 2004 AND I'VE READ ABOUT KIRA'S EXPERIENCE AND PLAN TO HAVE AN IDENTICAL REPLACEMENT.

INSURANCE INFORMATION:
LIKE I SAID I'M IN A USTRALIA, I JOINED MEDIBANK PRIVATE THE OTHER DAY "FIRST CHOICE HOSPITAL" AND THAT APPARENTLEY COVERS THE REPLACEMET, AND STAY. POSIBLY THERE IS A GAP THE SURGON CHARGES FOR THE ACTUAL PROCEEDURE. I FORGOT TO ASK IF THAY HAVE GAP COVER, WILL UPDATE WHAT I FIND OUT LATTER. I PAY INTO IT MONTHLY FOR 12 M0ONTHS THEN PEREXISTING CONDITIONS ARE COVERED. AS FAR AS I KNOW THE MEDICARE ITEM NUMBER FOR TOTAL ANKLE AND JOINT REPLACEMENT IS 49715. ONCE YOU TURN 31 THEN EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT YOU GET 2% ADDED TO YOUR INSTALLMENTS.

OKAY, IN AUSTRALIA, AS FAR AS I KNOW YOU CAN GET THE HINTEGRA IN SYDNEY IN MELBOURNE. NOT SURE ABOUT OTHER STATES. APPARENTLY MOST HEALTH INSURANCE IS NATIONAL THOUGH. MR. MARK BLACKNEY IS A SURGEON IN MELBOURNE, HE DOES HINTEGRA REPLACEMENTS AND PROBABLY OTHER PROCEEDURES ON AFL AND NRL PLAYERS, HE IS FROM THE PARK CLINIC: http://www.theparkclinic.com.au
Ph: (03) 9417 0762
ALSO THERE IS
Harvinder S. Bedi
Ph: (03) 9486 9034

SO THEY BOTH DO HINTEGRAS IN MELBOURNE, THE PARK CLINIC SEEMS TO DO EVERY JOINT IN THE BODY TOO I NOTICED. SURGEONS SPECIALISE IN ONE PART OF THE BODY THERE. WHICH I THINK IS GOOD.

I'M IN N.S.W., SO ANYWAY, I RANG THE PARK CLINIC AND THEY RECOMMENDED MR KIM SLATER (02)94375999 (NOT SURE ABOUT WEB ADDRESS IS) AND THEY SAID HE IS AN EXCELLENT SURGEON WHO DOES HINTEGRAS IN NORTH SYDNEY. I WORK ABOUT 15 MINUTES FROM THERE. SO THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING. THEY BASICALLY SAID THERE IS A 2 MONTH WAIT TO SEE HIM AND THEN A 4 MONTH WAIT TO GET IT DONE.

ASSUMING THE GAP HE CHARGES IS AFFORDABLE TO ME OR COVERED BY MY INSURANCE I WILL BOOK IN TO SEE HIM AT ABOUT NOVEMBER THIS YEAR AND ALL GOING WELL HOPEFULLY WILL GET IT DONE 4 MONTHS LATTER (MARCH 2009) OR SO.

SO I JUST THOUGHT THIS BEING A .com.au SITE THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WHO DOES HINTEGRAS HERE. I HOPE TO BE UPDATING ABOUT GETTINING A HINTEGRA ASSUMING SMOOTH SAILING.

[KiraB]

Mic,

Thanks for posting about the doctors in Australia who do the Hintegra, very uselful information for people I'm sure! I look forward to hearing of your successful recovery after your surgery

Chris,

Wow 14 to 44! you are much better at tolerating pain than me! haha Brilliant to hear you finally have some relief! All the best with the rest of your recovery!

Kira

[kjwilkin]

Hi there,

Yeah, Mark Blackney does operate on AFL players and other elite athletes.

He's a great surgeon and very down to earth. Totally fixed my ankle and am indebted to him. I wouldn't be able to walk or have a stable ankle thanks to him. Now I have a much better quality of life. I had been told be one doctor that there was nothing more that can be done. Would love to prove him wrong.

Just need my right knee sorted out now. Have a great knee surgeon in Melbourne, so that is a great start.

[Steve j]

Hello everyone!

Im 32years old and unfortunately my right ankle got badly injured after a fracture in mid -06 and now im facing fusion as a final resort according to my doctor. Looking around for alternatives i found this article . Has anyone been offered that method? I believe it looks quite promising if it has some durability.

Best Wishes

Fredrik / Sweden

Fredrik,

Unfortunately, Dr Lee's reputation here in the states is not very good at all. Respected surgeons consider his approaches more geared toward making the news or magazine articles rather than the care and well being of his patients. I have been warned by more than one to stay as far away from him as possible.

Good Luck..
Steve

[roseanningeorgia]

If all goes well and the way it should go..how long before I will be able to go to work? had my heel fused in May..getting TAR in June. The Dr. said I will be able to go back in August..but wanted to make sure of this.

[KiraB]

It depends on the type of implant, the doctors recovery program and also obviously the impact from the fusion, and the type of work you do.... so hard to say.

I had the Hintegra was weight bearing within a couple of days and was back at work 3 weeks after the operation. This is the absolute best case scenario.

[roseanningeorgia]

The ankle fusion is done and went well..been a month..next operation is in June. The implant is made from titanium. My husband said the Dr. did say Hintegra but I didnt hear it. I was more concerned about what they were going to do with the fusion first. I teach school so I can sit a lot if needed.

[KiraB]

Hope everyone is going well, just saw this and thought those of you having a tough time deciding whether to go for fusion or replacement might find it interesting

Better function seen in total ankle replacement vs. ankle fusion at 2 years. http://www.orthosupersite.com/view.asp?rid=41980

I also have just past the two year mark and am still thirlled with the results. Am looking at getting some more surgery on the wee ankle as my ROM is still not great, it is all soft tissue restriction, so the joint is still perfect. Will look at a release and then if that doesn't work will go for lengthening the achilles. I don't need to do this, I don't limp or anything, but it does restrict the ROM and I am thinking about long-term implications and so am going to try and get as much ROM as possible. Probably not going to do this till after easter so I get to cycle across myanmar at christmas and go skiing at easter... why ruin my holiday plans hehe

Will keep you all posted when there is anything to say!

Kira

[geniaus]

I haven't logged in for a while but, as I am at home recovering from my ankle ostectomy and Achilles lengthening, I thought I'd say hello. I hope that these procedures assist with my painful walking following my ankle replacement last October. Already a week after surgery I think that the pain has decreased so fingers crossed.

My replacement with an Hintegra was done by Dr. A Scott Newman, a very personable surgeon, who operates at The Sydney Adventist Hospital in Wahroonga. He has rooms in Castle Hill and Wahroonga. The problems I have are not from the ankle replacement but from years of arthritis. I can recommend Dr Newman, not only for his surgical expertise but, as a practitioner who takes the time to communicate with the patient and answer their questions.

Thanks also to those who suggested MBT shoes - I hope not to need them but, if I have to will give them a go.

Cheers, Geniaus

[KiraB]

Geniaus,

Hope the recovery goes well and that this helps with the pain!