Ankle Replacement Surgery

I respect your request, but am not 100% sure it is all compliant with the surgeon, hospital, and device. A lot has to do with the condition patient was in previously, and the directions given/followed afterwards. I'll be more than happy to share that info once I am further out from my surgery date. 4 weeks is hardly enough time to make a good or bad judgment in my opinion. After reading some postings stating that they got up and walked 2 weeks out of surgery with zero pain and zero meds  makes me second guess my own progress, but has absolutely nothing to do with my dr. I've sent a note to my doctor about my issues after chatting with a few of you on here and I will report back on what the answers were. I'm just so happy to see and hear stories (good and bad) of others during their recovery period ;o)

Hi Emile, My surgeon's name is Dr. Marc Tressler.  He practices in Hendersonville, TN.  He has performed over 750 TARs.  He uses the Infinity Inbone/Prophecy TAR.  My surgery was June 9 of this year.  I had some mild pain for 4 or 5 days after surgery and nothing since other than muscle soreness, etc.  I was in a splint for 3 weeks, then a cast for 3 weeks.  When the cast was removed my stitches were also removed and I was then placed into a walking boot with crutches for 4 weeks followed by 2 weeks in a boot with no crutches.  I'm now 16 weeks post surgery and feeling great!  The pain I had for 26 years is now gone.  I'm able to walk on a treadmill for the first time since 1991.  As you stated the surgeon, location and device used make a huge difference.  I've had NONE of the problems that are so prevalent in discussions on this forum.

It 100% has to do with the patients condition. My doctor said I am his most successful of his STARs. My weight and age defenietly factor in!! I have tried to keep my weight down. I could definitely be thinner.  

Err Lynda does not the surgeon take some credit for the success of the outcome.....just saying!

Cheers Richard

Hey Randy

Tried to get an appointment with Coetzee at Twin City Ortho, but it was a two year wait. Got my first one done  with Dr.Pat Ebling last Feb, also Twin city Ortho.  Getting the other one Nov 13.  Have you picked what joint you are going to use.  I have an Intagra cadence and its been great, so far .   Are you in Mn?

 

Pete,

I'm in Madison, WI.  Coetzee's admin says he uses STAR.  I'm considering Dr. Anderson and his Wright Infinity.  I'm torn between who to go with - both I believe are top-of-their field.

Forgive me, Coetzee uses Salto by Tornier

Not wishing to alarm you or anyone here all artificial joint have the potential to go wrong due to something that is usually talked about...Osteolysis. This seems to be more prevalent with ankle replacement than other replacement surgery.

My five year old ankle is about to be replaced and it will be a bit of an epic simply due to osteolysis. Be aware of the danger and ask your surgeon to check the latest x rays at every check up. Consider continuing with these checks after you have been signed off because it can come and bit you with no warning.

A this will save someone having problems in the future.

Cheers Richard

Missing word. NOT usually talked about .....Osteolysis. There is plenty of information on the internet if you dig a bit. If you need more information please ask me as I've had to learn quite a bit about it to know in which direction to go with my revision.

Cheers

Richard

Randy, sorry for the delay in responding, Went to TX to see my son and did a lot of walking, so thank goodness for the one new ankle. In the beginning I did some internet researching on the different brands of ankles, I think I surprised the Dr. when I wanted to discuss what kind he was going to use. I liked his reasons for using the cadence, so I guess whatever the surgeon likes is the way to go. So far my cadence is working well (10-months), but it is a new design. Getting another done mid Nov.

Keep me posted on what you decide. 

Hello there!! I also have the cadence device and am getting ready to start month 3!  The past 2 weeks have been a turning point for me and I am tickled with it. I still have some pain but only because of mybore exsisting circumstances that an ankle replacement wouldn’t/couldn’t fix. I was promised a 90-95% pain free outcome and at this point I feel I am well on the way! I will be following you here to see how things go on down the road. I think you’re the first on here that I have seen with the cadence. I had mine put in at Duke Hospital in NC by Dr Selene Parekh. 

I had an Infinity ankle by Dr. Anderson 31/2 weeks ago and it is doing very well.  I think he may be the top surgeon for the Infinity models.

Hi Lshjr,

Did you have that done in North Carolina or Wisconsin?  He's moving/moved to WI.  He told me he helped design the Infinity.  I'm still struggling to choose between him or Coetzee at Twin Cities Ortho.  Both top surgeons.  Any additional insight on Anderson?  How many times will you see him in the 90 day after surgery?

Thanks Randy

Randy,

Mine was in NC.  He said he would have limited surgery availability in NC after the first of the year due to the Wisconsin move, so I actually moved mine up, reworked my schedule and went ahead with it.  I don't really have any insight on him; I saw him once in April, then right before and after my surgery.  Extremely nice guy, intense and very confidant.  Everyone I spoke with says he is the man.   He helped design both the Inbone and the Infinity and has done a bunch of them.  I am following up with a guy in Knoxville who did his residency under Anderson.  He sent my x-ray over and consulted with Anderson. He has done about 30 Infinity's and been here only a year, so he wasn't around when I started trying to find someone.  Everything I read is go with a guy who has done a bunch of the one you are going to have.

I just noticed Coetzee was in Twin Cities.  Interesting because I located Anderson through the Viking's trainer when my niece's husband, Toby Gerhart, was with the Vikings.  I asked him to find out who the NFL thought was the top ankle guy and he said Anderson is where all the pros go.  When I researched Anderson, that was confirmed.  Coetzee's name did not come up for whatever reason.

Hi,

August 30th I had the Prophecy inbone done in Columbus, Georgia. I’m walking in a boot, pain free, PT three times per week. See doctor Dec. 7th, hope to get out of boot and resume my golf life. Dr. McClusky did my ankle, very pleased with his attentiveness and precision.

Good luck,

Jeanette

Wow,

I sought Coetzee & now Anderson because both were listed on the top ~16 ankle surgeons in the country.  Coetzee is a lecturer/trainer/practitioner on the Salto & assume he's done hundreds over the past year.  He serves the Vikings much like Anderson does the Packers/Panthers I assume.  Interesting that your Toby didn't mention Coetzee - that is very curious to me.  Interested to know why?  He would certainly know of him? 

You sound satisfied so far - what will be the extent of you activities when all healed up?  Walking 18 holes of golf?

Randy

Randy, Now they are both done, Got the second cadence put in last Monday. Because this one did not in involve any fusing they say it may only be 2-weeks non-weight bearing. Since it has been 20-years since the accident(ultralight) this time the Doc added a gastroc recession. The internet says it helps with getting the Achilles tendon to stretch when the ankle has not been bending for quite some time. The first one he just did a couple cuts on tendon itself to stretch it.  Humm- hope this works better. Sorry about your QB, send him over to Twin Cities Ortho, they will fix right up. Hummm - Oxy humor?

Good Luck from Mn 

I think Anderson may have been the Vikings team doc at the time.  It was 4-5 years ago I started looking around, then it took me nearly 3 years to get in to see Anderson.  Toby's trainer got the information, so he may have just been partial to Anderson; I don't really know.  I am pleased so far.  I went to a boot at 2 weeks, partial weight bearing at 3 wks.  Stitches came out today and I move to 2/3 weight bearing on Wed of this week.  My goal is to walk without pain and walk up inclines like a human, not a duck.  I'm sure I can get back to cycling without pain which is my form of exercise these days.  Biggest deal is no pain.  My foot hurt for years due to bone on bone pain.

Good luck with whatever route you go.

Great feedback - thanks.  Best of luck & please post your progress.

Randy

Just checking in again. It’s now been right at 16 weeks post TAR surgery. PT has helped me tremendously and I really would recommend it to everyone. My swelling has minimized, I take one tramadol and 2 Aleve each morning and most days that does it for the entire day. I am on my feet pretty much all day long as a nanny to a 4 mo. Old and also an 18 mo. Old. I AM 54. I am still wearing a compression hose and tennis shoes with good arch support. I can switch out to “pretty shoes” for special occasions now and again but my tennis shoes are my best friends. I had trust issues in the beginning with the device only because I’d had two prior surgeries on this same ankle within the year. I have now gained trust in it and am So Pleased with my progress. Each week seems to be better than the last. Every now and then I’ll have a rough day mainly because I did way too much or I traumatized it somehow. I had a partial fusion a year ago. Total Replacement this past September. Thinking I have found that comfortable “sweet spot” for walking. I’m still working on ascending and descending stairs properly and fast walking (forget running) to keep up with the toddler. Hope you all are doing well and I really enjoy reading everyone’s posts! Merry Christmas!