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Pin movement after Scarf and Akin Osteotomy

Posted , 6 users are following.

Emily1985
Emily1985

Hi All,

I had a scarf and akin osteotomy on my left foot in February 2014. It healed well and I was mobile and without pain 8 weeks after the operation. I have had some swelling in the left foot when it gets hot between then and now which is painful but not too bad.

However, in the last month or so my foot has become very painful. I now have a small lump which is just below the surface of the skin. When pressed it feels very hard and I think it is the pin which is in the foot. I think it might have moved and this is what has been causing me pain. I don't remember doing anything out of the ordinary to cause this to happen though.

Has anyone had anything similar happen - movement of the pin after surgery? If so did you have to have further surgery to remove the pin?

I am due to go to the doctors next week to see if I can be referred back to the Hospital for an x-ray. I am also due to go and see the podiatrist as I need new insoles so they may also be able to advise me on this.

Any experiences from fellow osteotomy patients would be gratefully received though!

Thanks

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • susan572
    susan572 Emily1985

    Posted

    Hi Emily, I had further surgery to have a pin removed 12 months after my scarf/akin bunion surgery because it was pressing on soft tissue in my foot and making it painful to walk.  Within a week of the surgery I was pain free.  Hope this is of some help.
    • Emily1985
      Emily1985 susan572

      Posted

      Hi Susan,

      Thanks for replying to my question. It is interesting to hear you had your pin removed 12 months after surgery. Maybe that is what is happening in my foot as well - pin pressing on soft tissue. Great to hear you were pain free after the pin removal. Did you need much recovery time after the pin removal operation? I am just wondering if I do need it done how much time you needed off work etc?

      Thanks

      Emily

    • susan572
      susan572 Emily1985

      Posted

      Hi Emily, the consultant discharged me after a week and I could walk normally at that time.  Only a very small incision at the site of the previous bunion surgery and dissolving stitches.  Nothing like the bunion surgery. Depending on what kind of work you do I don't think you would need much time off work.  Let me know how you get on when you see the Consultant. Sue
  • amanda18539
    amanda18539 Emily1985

    Posted

    Hi Emily,

    i had scarf with Aiken in December last year. All healed well but also developed lump under skin at the surgery site. It turned out to be a cyst which I had removed only 3 weeks ago. It is all healed but I have a lump of scar tissue now which looks like a bunion !!! Hope it goes. Good luck with yours. Amanda 

    • Emily1985
      Emily1985 amanda18539

      Posted

      Hi Amanda,

      Thanks for replying to my question. I'm not sure if it is a cyst but I suppose the doctor or Consultant will be able to let me know for definite. Sorry to hear you have scar tissue now though, how frustrating! Hope it isn't still painful.

      Thanks

      Emily

  • smab97
    smab97 Emily1985

    Posted

    Hi Emily I had the same Akins osteotomy and bunion removal. I too had my op in Feb I can feel my pins too and they are very sore, seeing consultant next Tuesday so hopefully will know better what is going on. Hope you get an x-ray and get to know if everything is ok.
    • Emily1985
      Emily1985 smab97

      Posted

      Hi Smab97,

      Thanks for letting me know you are going through the same thing. Please let me know what your Consultant says next week, I will be interested to hear about it. I hope I will get an x-ray to investigate my foot too. Will keep you posted!

  • smab97
    smab97 Emily1985

    Posted

    Yes I will definetely let you know, hopefully I will have some peace of mind as I also have had a fracture on the osteotomy site which has been in a bootwalker for 3 1/2 weeks and should be healing nicely as I have done nothing to aggravate it. Very frustrated and quite depressed about the whole thing.
  • Emily1985
    Emily1985

    Posted

    Hi All,

    Following on from my message above, I went back to the doctor's and they referred me back to the Hospital for an x-ray. This resulted in the registrar referring me for surgery to remove the pin/screw in my foot, as it is probably pressing on a nerve causing me pain. I am hopefully having this operation very soon. The registrar recommended 2 weeks off work for recovery period but I don't think it will be as bad as the scarf and akin osteotomy operation. If anyone has had a pin/screw removal can you advise how long it took to get back on your feet and also how long it was before you could drive? Thanks

    • susan572
      susan572 Emily1985

      Posted

      Hi Emily,  I had a screw removed 12 months after scarf/akin surgery.  It was instant relief from pain and I was back to normal within approximately 7-10 days.  It was only a very small incision with a couple of dissolving stitches.  No way near as painful as the scarf/akin.  Hope all goes well.  Hope this reassures you.
    • Emily1985
      Emily1985 susan572

      Posted

      Hi Susan,

      Thanks very much for your reply. It is great to hear you have been through this and you had instant relief from pain in your foot afterwards! I look forward to that! Great to hear that I will be back to normal after 10 days - I was planning on having that amount of time off work so that works well. Have you had any further problems since or has it all been ok? I will let you know how I get on. Thanks again

    • susan572
      susan572 Emily1985

      Posted

      Hi Emily,

      Unfortunately in April of this year I had a further scarf/akin procedure on my foot.  It was not caused by the removal of the screw but by a post operative fracture following the original surgery.

  • jacckie62169
    jacckie62169 Emily1985

    Posted

    Hi Emily

    I have had one screw removed three weeks ago under local.   It was sticking out and rubbing. The surgeon said it was a bit of an over kill if I had it under general - it was fine and I walked out of the hospital about two hours later and haven't looked back.  I was in work that day as no pain at all but they gave me a velcro shoe as the bandage meant I couldn't get my ugg boots back on. I wasn't allowed to get it wet for two weeks which wasn't an issue as I have the waterproof covers from the bunion op earlier in the year. I changed the plaster and got rid of the bandage after three days and was able to put my shoes on again.  I went back to see the surgeon after two weeks and he signed me off. AND last night I tried on all my shoes and boots and YES I can get them on again and walk normally so the swelling must have gone down completely now.  Good luck, hope this helps.

    • Emily1985
      Emily1985 jacckie62169

      Posted

      Hi Jackie,

      Thanks for replying, it is great to hear you had a positive experience from having the screw removed. I think I am due to have general anathestic but perhaps it will actually be local. Great to hear you recovered so quickly. I am planning to take 2 weeks off work as I work in a school so on my feet a lot. I couldn't get on with the waterproof cover when I had my bunion op so I used to wrap my foot in a towel and sit on a stool to have a shower! I will see what it is like this time as I'm sure the bandages will be smaller. I am looking forward to having the op as my foot is very painful now. Will let you know how I get on! Thanks again for your comments.

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