Ankle Replacement Surgery

Very sorry to hear about yourw pain. Have you any idea why you have this pain and what makes you think that it would all be resolved if you elect to have your ankle fused?

You may find it helpful to do a Google search for Yogesh, Richard total ankle replacement. Please read all the follow up comments that I've made to get the whole picture. I'm always happy to talk on the phone (at your cost) as far more useful information can be got this way. Cheers, Richard

I had a TAR 2 years ago in February after waiting 10 yrs to get it approved. I did well the first few months but on my 20th and last PT something went wrong and i could no longer walk. My pain was excruciating and the ankle was only physically working sometimes , leaving me stuck in places unable to take a step. The surgeon saw nothing wrong in the xrays and kept telling me it could take up to a year to make a full recovery. I was forced to wear my boot to have any sort of life and the pain was unimaginable. Last January 11 months after the TAR I had the fusion which I avoided at all costs for so many years. I knew the fusion would cause more arthritis hitting the toes and anywhere i didnt already have it. With all that being said i am so sorry i waited so long and feel i wasted a year of my life with the replacement. Had it not failed im sure i would be singing a different tune. Yes, the arthritis is bad, its almost a year since the fusion and I am in pain but no where near how bad it was before and after the replacement. With the right shoes i can almost walk normal and actually walked busch gardens twice around this past new years eve. In my opinion if its not working after 4 months for you it probably will be the same at 6. My ankle kept feeling as if were locked.

i hope your pain eases up

jill

Thanks so much for your reply.. that's my feeling at this stage also. I was wondering did anyone have similar to mine and really don't want to wait months to see if TAR gets better when it's more likely not. thanks

Thanks for such detailed account that sounds like how I'm doing.. just wondering how your fusion went what was that recovery like. I hope it didn't take too long to get back on your feet. Really appreciate your response.. not knowing how this could go was awful thanks again.

Hi Richard you were very lucky your op so successful so quickly.. I'm afraid mine is agony and can barely put foot down at all it's gotten worse the last week. My Doc said fusion would take away pain.. I was just hoping maybe I had wait a bit longer for it to heal but not judging by how it's gotten now. When did pain stop for you to be able to walk?

From what Ive I've read here over several a couple of months is that a fusion can have problems. I think it largely comes down to the skill of your surgeon and your health and fitness.

Good luck whatever you decide to do. Having had the first TAR then had a major revision of it by a much experienced surgeon I know bow tough. ankle recovery is! Richard

Really sorry to hear that.

IF you get a fusion do you know how the fusion will be done regarding to the bone that is

cut away for the TAR?

Apart from that, you might take a look at the " Wright" TAR, this is one of the of the few or maybe the only brand which is developed with -replacement / revision- in mind.

Wright has also a more automated procedure that reduces the influence of the (lack of) skill

of the surgeon.

Living in the Netherlands, unfortunately it is not available for me.

I hope it turns out well for you.

Wow thanks for that info.. they have to replace bone and do fusion.. don't even know if that's 2 seperate operations.. am going nuts at the thoughts. and still no idea if any of this will work.. looking for shotgun at this stage.

Thanks for your help .. went to surgeon op a complete fail he will do a fusion in couple of months.. but I will go back to see if he can fast forward that .. couldn't bare thoughts of more delay followed by months recovering. Everyones response here was great to see if I was going insane or not. Weeell even more insane 😈🤯 thanks all.

I have been following this forum for about 2 years because I have been suffering with a bad ankle from a break many years ago, and arthritis. I need a knee first, then the ankle, that's the way it should be done, I'm told. Quite often the pain is so bad I feel ready for a wooden peg leg. I have seen horror stories and good stories after ankle replacement, and am sure that the result is very much dependent upon the surgeon.

If my result is on the "horror" side I will not go to fusion, but very seriously consider amputation and fitting a whole new foot and ankle. I have seen and read about amputees with good mobility and no pain. My mobility now is very limited, cannot be on my feet for more than an hour without pain for two days. I am considering Dr. Soo Hoo , the ankle specialist at UCLA medical center in Los Angeles. His colleague , Dr. Zeegen, has done one knee with good results, and will do the other in April.

I've had same injury and pain just 4 months after ankle replacement and it's worse than before op can barely put foot down.. doc had told me fusion would take pain away but said replacement first .. am now going for fusion coz all I wanted was pain gone.. before you reach for the axe just consider fusion.. if it works you will be pain free and then can have some freedom.. its only couple months to see if it works.. I wish I had looked into this more before I went for replacement.. I think my foot was too bad for replacement in the first place.. will keep you posted on my fusion in couple months.

coljc you and i have the same story and the surgeon gave me a 50/50 that it may work i knew on my heart i woud have always wondered what if it worked and had a chance of a "normal" type foot. i believ for myswlf i had to try averything before amputation as that would always be a option. Emilio44 give it lots of thought before you make a decision so final. i wish you all a lot of luck and a less painful foot

There is if course the option of that special ankle fitting developed for US service personal. It gives amazing mobility to damaged ankles and is available privately.

Cheers, Richard

We've definitely had same deal jill.. am wondering how long after your fusion the pain got much better.. am soo depressed at thoughts of it all failing again thanks

it was painful but it was still better then the failing TAR if you follow the doctors orders it should not fail you just need to give it time for the fusion to occur i used the knee scooter to get around and not for a second did i feel i made another mistake. the pain is occasional now and if i over do it i will swell but compared to my past pain it is a win win. i know the depression well and i totally understand your fear. I had to put things in order in my head knowing the TAR failed that i had the option to fuse and if that the idea of amputation was always my last resort.

Thanks same here.. I did everything right n am worse than before op. Just got knee scooter coz impossible to put foot to ground and can only stand for 30 mins and am done. Just wondering how long before you knew fusion was a success.. I thought my TAR was going to work til I started put foot down nearly 4 months and it went.

You nay want to consider an iWalk as this one hands free total mobility. I bought one from someone who had had a TAR and no longer. needed it. I was horrified at the prospect of another spell of restrictions after only six years and this iWalk was a god send as I could walk half a mile to the local shop if necessary because I live on my own. Cheers, Richard

Hi Jill did they have to take bone from your hip for fusion or..?? and how long after fusion was pain bareable to walk on thanks

Am almost afraid to say.. but took boot off 2 days ago coz couldn't put foot down with it and foot has little pain when it's up and it's not agony when I "walk" on it now. I think the boot was pushing the screws up on inside of ankle so please God that's what's been delaying healing. Will keep all posted.