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talonavicular joint fusion + staple fracture

Posted , 2 users are following.

diggerd
diggerd

I had a talonavicular joint fusion on 8/16. One Integra Qwix Screw and a dorsal nitro staple were used.

I was in a cast for 13 weeks with no weight bearing. I was than put in a boot, using 2 crutches. X-rays were taken along the way, the ones on 11/16 were fine. At a follow-up visit on 1/4, an x-ray, and subsequent CT shows the staple is fractured in 2 places. There is no evidence of bony bridging at the fusion site. Having pain when walking in the boot. Also, wakes me up at night when I move. 

What would cause the staple to break ? Is it possible that it was defective ? Is a revision necessary ?

 

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • becky7624
    becky7624 diggerd

    Posted

    What did your doctor say about the broken staple? Did you have a lot of pain before the staple broke? Also, does "no evidence of bony bridging at the fusion site" mean that the joint isn't fusing properly? I just had a talonavicular joint fusion 17 days ago so I'm not used to a lot of the jargon. I do know that my doctor used 2 titanium screws but no staples. I also know that he used a synthetic bone graft material that contains a special bioactive glass that's supposed to expidite fusion. At least, I hope that's close to what the doctor told my husband after the surgery. Do you know if your doctor used anything like that? I hope that you get good answers that don't include more surgery.

    • sue56323
      sue56323 becky7624

      Posted

      Becky, 

      I have 6 screws, and plates in my foot after my 2nd talonvicular. he told my mom that he used some kind of heavy duty expensive epoxy., or something to hold it together. so far so good. i go back the first of next week, and hopefully i can walk again. i can toe touch, and very very lightly stand on it. 

      thats really wierd about the broken staple. 

      hope your doing well, sounds like it. 

      sue

    • becky7624
      becky7624 sue56323

      Posted

      Sue, it's too soon to tell, of course, but I think I'm doing fine. I had little to no swelling at my 2 week checkup. I also got to get a cool green cast. In two more weeks they'll change the cast and I'm going to get pink because I just found out today that grandbaby #3 is a girl. She'll be welcomed by two big brothers in June so I really need this surgery to do the trick and be the only surgery that I need on this foot.

      I'm glad to hear that you're doing better this time around. My doctor told my husband that back when he was in medical school they experimented with this synthetic bone graft material and found that it cut recovery time in half. I think he's been practicing about 15-20 years now so he must still be impressed with it.

  • sue56323
    sue56323 diggerd

    Posted

    thats odd, i have never heard of anythign like that. what did your dr say about it? are you weight bearing on it, or did i miss read it? if it was non weight bearing, then the staple shouldnt have fractured the bone, thats my opinion.  i would talk to your dr. 

    good luck

  • diggerd
    diggerd

    Posted

    thanks for the replys. no bony bridging means not a full union. I guess it could still happen. My appointment with dr. since ct is next wednesday. the bone graft material my dr. used was harvested from my hip. i have been weight bearing since I started using the crutches.
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