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Looking for opinion about ankle fusion / replacement

Posted , 9 users are following.

Nadine_00
Nadine_00

Hi everybody 

needing advice on weather to fouse my ankle totally so there will be no movement at all or a ankle replacment my specialist is thinking of a fousion then when I'm older he would give me a replacment but it still in the talking stage for now so just wanted to here from anyone who has had a replacment to know how long u took to recover ect and a if anyone has had a total fousion to know about the recovery etc so please help if u can ???????? 

Cheers 

1 like, 52 replies

52 Replies

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  • fredda
    fredda Nadine_00

    Posted

    I went with the TAR at the age of 35, that was 3 years ago and im reallt happy with the outcome.

    With a fusion you put more stress on the surrounding joints and with time they will also develop arthrities. I traveled from Sweden to Switzerland to have my surgery performed by Dr. Hintermann whos probably THE best TAR-surgeon in the world. If you go for a TAR i strongly advice you to look for a very experienced surgeon, also the modell of the replacement is crucial. The Hintegra that i have require very little bone resection and thats important for any future revisions.

    Best of luck!

    • Nadine_00
      Nadine_00 fredda

      Posted

      Hi  Fredda. 

       Thanks very much for your reply I will have to go onto goggle and look up your specilst to see what he has to say about TAR verses ankle fousion because all opinions matter when it come from a specialist thanks very much.  Much the same as myself around the age I'm turning 39  on the 16th  thanks again 

      cheers Nadine 

  • shazy111
    shazy111 Nadine_00

    Posted

    Hi Nadine

    This is a big  hard decision to make, I had an op in jan for a debrement and 6 months down the line i am in worse pain than before the opperation.I am 50 and have level 2 arthritis in my ankle,  I had a steroid injection in the right ankle 8 weeks ago it was like a weight lifted from my shoulders and i thought i was back to normal, how wrong i was it only lasted 2 days. My surgeon has said to me that he would not give an ankle replacement because i am to active, ( i only play golf)  he has suggested a fusion to me and at the moment i would take that but reading all your replies i would like the replacement if i could get it. I have saw the surgeon again because i could not put my foot onto the ground and he has put a plaster cast on it to keep it still and for pain management, this was 4 weeks ago and it is to come off in 2 weeks and he said he going to give me another steriod injection to see if this works as he said there needs to be long discussions before i go for a fusion.

    My surgeon also said to me he could not do an akle replacement after a fusion , but he could do a fusion after a replacement, but there again he never mention you can have two and he said it would only last 4 years for me, again he told me once the ankle is fused I would eventually get arthritis in other parts of my foot hope this helps you as surgeons all seem to have different ideas, also i am thinking now after reading your reviews i might go for a second oppinion.

    good luck with what ever you choose.

    • Nadine_00
      Nadine_00 shazy111

      Posted

      Hi shazy 

      how ow right are you yes doctors have all there own opinion about why to do how ever I've had a second opinion and they have both Said the same thing to me that a fousion would be the most affective way to go for me and the structure of my right ankle. It's very scary to think after I have a fousion done on the 29th of July that I won't be able to move my foot at all and yes there is a few things that I will have to change like shoes and the way I walk but if it means no pain I will be 1 very happy chicken , I had a cortazone injection/ anaesthetic test done about 3 weeks ago now and I've had no pain up till now so I had 2 weeks of pain free yay and he did That to see if I would have pain or not and then my professor sergain said that's a good result for me and so we booked it in , yes I'm scared I would be lying if I said I wasn't however I have done so much resurch on fousion and tar which I would say to you as well do as much as you can done let anyone else apart from your own specialist telling you what will suit you and what will be a better result for you because as I think you said everybody is different..

      I wish you the best of luck with your resurch and thanks very much for letting me know your story 

      cheers   Nadine 

  • shazy111
    shazy111 Nadine_00

    Posted

    Hi Nadine

    Its good you have made your choice and it won't take long now. It will be a long recovery but probably worth it in the end when you will have no pain and to me at this moment would be brilliant, I would do anything if i was going to be pain free and get back to my normal life.

    Well good luck with the op

    shazy111

    • Nadine_00
      Nadine_00 shazy111

      Posted

      Hi  shazy 

      this is where I got to now I will do anything to stop the pain because I'm at my wits end with my foot problem and I'm so looking forwards to going on a holiday after all this is over and I'll really enjoy every bit of been pain free I will put up a post after the operation is done to let anyone know how things feel if I know how to send you a private message I would send you my email so then I can let you know how everything goes 

      cheers   Nadine 

       

    • shazy111
      shazy111 Nadine_00

      Posted

      Hi Nadine

      I would really like to hear how you get on as i know this will be the outcome for myself. I really understand about being pain free, with my cast on i still feel the pain, today has be really bad after having a couple of ok days. I'm not sure how i would get my email address to you as it would be nice to keep in touch after your operation.

      shazy111

    • Nadine_00
      Nadine_00 shazy111

      Posted

      Hi shazy 

      I tried to send you my email address and the message got closed down very fast so I will have to try work out a way of sending to you but I'm just not sure how to as yet I'll have to have a think or study to see how to do a privet message to you because it would be great to stay in touch with you too 

      cheers Nadine 

  • jim86105
    jim86105 Nadine_00

    Posted

    Hi,

    i have aver been following your discussion as I am in exactly the same boat as you, fusion or replacement.im not sure how much pain you are in at present or could manage not to have anything done for a while. The reason why I say this is my surgeon has said to me that in 4/5 years there will be very little fusions done as the technology is advancing very fast. I have been told that a fusion can be done in such a way that a TAR can be done after fusion.  Now if the new joint fails the chances of a second one working is low as the ankle bone is very small   The least successful replacement are the elbow and the ankle.  Take as much time as you can 

    I have not fully made up my mind yet but Iam  70/30 heading for fusion first. I have been very frightened by the disaster stories I have heard with TAR wit extremely bad out comes. Be careful take your time and go by what your medical people advise  

    best wishes

    • Nadine_00
      Nadine_00 jim86105

      Posted

      Hi jim 

      wow wee am I happy you have written what you have when I spoke to my specialist the other day he to told me the a fousion can be done to help me know and down the track a TAR can be done as well and as far as my pain goes I've had it up to my ears which I'm only short lol how ever I've done so much resurch it's crazy and I'm booked in with the specialist for the 29th of July to have a fousion done because he has also done anasthitic tests as well which I've been able to walk finally on my own without my stickies which is why he will do it for me and if it means my pain will stop I will be very happy as I think I said 

      thanks so much for your reply as I'm still doing resurch and its great to see people's view on there own experiences

      cheers. 

      Nadine 

    • jim86105
      jim86105 Nadine_00

      Posted

      Nadine

      very well done with the research and the very best of luck with the operation a wise decision for someone so young as in time the replacements can only improve with a better out come for patients 

      Phase two of your research should be into what to expect after surgery. For what it's worth it seems like 9 months is required to make a reasonable recovery and 12 do a full recovery, physiotherapy seems to be important all be its sound like it's painful in the beginning 

      i have aver had surgery on my ankle already and I have experienced a good bit of pain and numbness from nerve damage and that is the one thing don expect and yet it's what causes the most discomfort after ankle surgery. 

      I wish you you the very best of luck and a speedy recover. Please let us all have an update at some point

      jim

    • Nadine_00
      Nadine_00 jim86105

      Posted

      hi jim 

       Yes it's funny have said to Resurch on the recovery time I've done this today and will be doing more tonight and as you have said it's based on for a full recovery is about 12 months depending on each person and there own experience but still lots of reading to do as I said , Thankyou very much for your kind wards and best wishers and I will put up a post a couple of days after sergary to describe what and how things are filling after my block has worn off and how everything has gone and thanks again 

      cheers.      Nadine 

    • Nadine_00
      Nadine_00 jim86105

      Posted

      Hi jim 

      thanks very much for all your best wishers , I find it funny I was only today looking and reading so many things about the recovery after a full ankle fousion and as you said they are all saying for a full recovery time is 12 mouths depending on the indvidul person as we know every 1 is different how every thanks again and I will post a few days after my operation and after the thermal artery block has worne off so i can really explain what the pain is like and how I'm feeling so thanks and I will talk soon 

      cheers.     Nadine 

    • catherine83295
      catherine83295 jim86105

      Posted

      Hi I had a replacement 8 yrs ago. ( fusing) was mentioned apparently the difference is the ankle cannot move up n down, however I opted for r/placement. March11th this year I had the other ankle replaced . I have no pain . Apparently if it doesn't work then they will fuse it. As long as one has no pain is the main thing.
    • catherine83295
      catherine83295 Nadine_00

      Posted

      The reason I needed. TAR is rheumatoid arthritis..as you say they reckon 12 months for a full recovery. My first TAR. Was about 9 months till I felt normal again. I am 4 months on since op and it gets better every day. I was a bit wary of not using crutches .I weaned myself on to 1 , then none. I do wish you success with your op
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