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Cartiva - Has anyone had it?

Posted , 157 users are following.

krista4435
krista4435

I'm looking looking at looking at getting looking at getting this. Anyone with experience here?

4 likes, 836 replies

836 Replies

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  • Chocolady88
    Chocolady88 krista4435

    Posted

    Had my Operation in Oct. 2017.  Can wear regular Wide shoes but from time to time still hurts a little.

    Need to do more exercises for more range of motion but can't compare to the pain and discomfort I had before the operation.

  • Gerry1234
    Gerry1234 krista4435

    Posted

    I am really frustrated, my doctor states to go in whirlpool and get blood to toe and then exercise it,! Doesn’t want to see me until November but I think I am going to go in September and get a cat scan and then have a fusion. I don’t see any improvement on a day to day basis except when I get up in the morning, it feels good and give me 45 minutes and I feel like I am walking on a pebble. I think something is wrong and I want an x ready or cat scan to see if the cartiva is in the right place. Saw reports from people in England and most of those people are overjoyed, 

    What are our doctors doing differently.

     

    • patricia32684
      patricia32684 Gerry1234

      Posted

      So I just came from my Dr. appt. I am 14 weeks out... x-rays looks great but I told doc that I am just now on neutral ground meaning I am right where we started pain wise... I can do more than I used to after surgery and therapy" gait training" has been helpful.. so doc said that obviously the surgery was meant to make me feel better and is hoping to get me to a better state than I am in now... continued therapy... hopefully more healing with time and patience & he also recommend Hoka one one shoes for walking & comfort... follow up with him in 3 months... right around the 6ish months out time... fingers crossed and much luck to everyone who is contributing to these discussions 😀

  • Chocolady88
    Chocolady88 krista4435

    Posted

    I'm wondering.  Were are you all from?  in the UK or the USA?

    I had my operation , in Long Island, NY, USA, in Oct  2017 and am very pleased with the results.

    I also had a Bone Spear shaved.  It's up to me regarding the flexibility of the toe and as a whole - don't regret for a minute having the operation done.  So sorry to hear that so many of you have bad results.

    I assume it has to do with the sergeant more than anything else.

    • lorjie
      lorjie Chocolady88

      Posted

      I'm from Southern California. Very disappointed with the results. Still in the boot - 14 weeks out. MRI on June 5 - pain.

    • fusor2000
      fusor2000 Chocolady88

      Posted

       I agree. I don’t know if it’s the surgeon or the severity prior to surgery. To me it seems like a simple surgery to do. I am six weeks and have been walking over 3 miles a day for the last two weeks. No pain whatsoever and rest minimal discomfort only with walking but significantly better than prior to surgery. Range of motion maybe 75% to 80% of nonaffected toe.   I have been in the sneaker or barefoot since the stitches have been removed.    My surgeon stated he has had success with everyone of his patients except one.    He is also a friend and honest.    My advice would be for anyone considering the surgery to make sure the surgeon has a lot of practice and even request a representative from Cartiva be in the surgical room with him. 
    • patricia32684
      patricia32684 Chocolady88

      Posted

      I am from the Chicago suburban area...had the surgery done with the Dupage Med Group...my Dr. Is a foot/ankel orthopedic surgeon.
    • kelley07454
      kelley07454 Chocolady88

      Posted

      I had my surgery in Cincinnati, OH in April 9, 2018....so I am not as far post op as you.  

      I also had bone spurs shaved off. Still wearing the boot and  starting PT this Friday.

    • Foxm004
      Foxm004 fusor2000

      Posted

      Can I ask who your dr is and where he’s located? I live in Hawaii and there aren’t any surgeons doing this surgery here.  Your surgeon sounds very good. 
  • edwin30710
    edwin30710 krista4435

    Posted

    Well I found out today that it is off center and the hole was drilled too large, My only option is to remove it,graft bone in the hole and fuse it. FUN!  Anyone had a fusion? Will it be fine? Told pain will stop and some even get back to almost normal walking. TRUE or FALSE? 
    • lorjie
      lorjie edwin30710

      Posted

      I personally have not had it done, but a friend did - fusion gives you very limited mobility. But they did not have the bone graft.

      Did you discover this via an MRI? That is what I am getting a week from today due to not healing well.

    • NancyMN
      NancyMN lorjie

      Posted

      Hello Lorjie,

      I am also in Southern California.  Do you mind sharing your doctor's name?  If not on this forum you can email me directly (i will send).  

      Nancy

  • RTS
    RTS krista4435

    Posted

    I had surgery 2.5 weeks ago. Already back to 70 percent ROM.

    Iced and elevated 4 days. Wore medical shoe two weeks.

    Walking driving all day. Swelling minimum at this point. Doing my own PT with daily 30 sec range holds.

    My DPT Dr. Remmer at Legacy in Vancouver.

    • palmetto24648
      palmetto24648 RTS

      Posted

      Hello RTS, Congrats! I'm having similar results....four weeks out now and a huge improvement in ROM from before. Walking in normal shoes now with a small spacer between big toe and second toe. No pain, gradually increasing to where I can walk for my exercise again! My dr was Michael Tollison in Greenville, SC.

      Hope you continue to do well!

    • linda41876
      linda41876 palmetto24648

      Posted

      Hi, I live in Anderson sc just down the road from Greenville. Would you mind sharing your stage of Hallux Ridgidus? I think mine is stage 3 maybe 4. My orthopedic surgeon told me to wait until I start having a lot of pain. I have a bone spur as well. I have heard good things about Dr. Tollison.

      Good luck !

    • fusor2000
      fusor2000 linda41876

      Posted

      I do not know the stage scale. However, I was on the lower end of severity, which made me even a better candidate. 
    • palmetto24648
      palmetto24648 linda41876

      Posted

      Hi, I was stage four, they mentioned "bone on bone"..... basically I had no cartilage left, just rough, jagged bones that rubbed each time the joint tried to move. I also had very little movement in the joint at all.. What kept me walking was that I used rocker bottom shoes - the toe joint didn't have to move much when I walked. I expect that if I had not had those shoes, I would have been in much more misery before the surgery. I had very large spur on the top, as well. Dr. Tollison removed the spur, inserted the Cartiva implant, and also took a very small piece of the big toe bone away, in order to give me a straighter toe. I'm very happy with the results -- quicker recovery than expected, much less pain than expected, and a foot that looks more like other people! Nice straight toe! (Grin) 

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