Unhappy with hammertoe surgery - Foot Problems Message Board

Marcy77 · 10-03-2004, 08:48 AM

Hello.
i am almost two months post op hammer toe surgery on both feet. i had my second and fourth toes done and pins were put in place on all four toes. my right foot hasn't had the same success as my left. i kind of anticipated this ever since my bandaging was removed 2 weeks after surgery i noticed that they just didn't look right. I brought this up to my doctor who said that we won't be able to make that judgement until healing is complete. Now that healing is complete my fourth toe which was the most severe has bent back into the same semi-curled position it was in prior to surgery. I am thinking this was because the pins were taken out too soon by my doctor, he took them out two weeks after they were put in. I feel pretty helpless to the point where i feel like crying because i know i will probably end up going through another surgery due to a botched job. It was alot of work and sacrifice to even get to the point where i could finally have the surgery and the mere thought of going through the pain and being captive in my house through the healing process again is enough to make me want to give my doctor a piece of my mind.

Has anyone out there gone through a similar situation and if so how did it turn out, did you have to go through surgery again, was your insurance willing to pay for it a second time around.

~Marcy

susieblueyes · 10-04-2004, 08:18 PM

Hi Marcy,
I don't know if you have read any of my postings but I had hammertoe surgery back in June along with all the other foot surgeries I have had and I developed an infection.So needless to say the Dr. took out my pin only 4 days after my surgery.My toe was just flopping up and down as I walked.And the toe was pulling up from the scar tissue.I just had a nother surgery 2 weeks ago to try and fix it.I go tomorrow to get my stitches out.I still have a lot of pain and my toe looks so funny.It is fat at the base and thin at the top.We will see what the Dr. says tomorrow.But you were asking about the insurance, I did not have a problem. I need more surgery but can't collect disability again until March next year. I hope I can wait.I dont know if this helps but this is my story.LOL

Sue

VeggieQueen58 · 10-05-2004, 12:14 PM

I wish I had answers for you ladies, but unfortunately all I have is questions because I'm recovering from the same surgery. My pins were in for the duration and no infections, but they're just weird now. I really didn't expect them to ever look normal again, but they're just little stubby things and one is skinny in the middle and bulges at the tip and near the base, and the other kind of dangles.

One thing I do know, it's been an experience I never want to repeat. I wish there was more information available on this - I can't find anything but doctor journals on the web that make no sense to me, and all they talk about is bunions anyway. Very frustrating.

Forevermytoes · 10-07-2004, 12:27 PM

Hi Marcy and Everyone Else,

Well it's been about 4 months or so since my last posting and I too had hammertoe surgery in March of this year. It's been six months since my surgery and my toes are still not right. As most of you probably were, I was shown before and after photos of patients who had the same surgery and my after shots do not in any way resemble the ones I was shown. Also I did not have pins put into my toes and although I can see them curling a little they are still straighter than they were before. I had the surgery on my 2nd, 4th, and pinky toes and they all appear fatter than my 3rd toe. They are still very sensitive and I can only flex them a tiny wee bit. The scars are still there but I use the scar cremes faithfully which seem to be working and keep them tightly bandaged to try and give them some shape. I still see them as in the healing process and giving them exactly 1 year to start to look normal before I would consider another surgery.

PS. What ever you do continue to use the scar creme and keep them tightly bandage to reduce swelling and to keep the new bone structure.

annarbor · 11-08-2004, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susieblueyes

Hi Marcy,
I don't know if you have read any of my postings but I had hammertoe surgery back in June along with all the other foot surgeries I have had and I developed an infection.So needless to say the Dr. took out my pin only 4 days after my surgery.My toe was just flopping up and down as I walked.And the toe was pulling up from the scar tissue.I just had a nother surgery 2 weeks ago to try and fix it.I go tomorrow to get my stitches out.I still have a lot of pain and my toe looks so funny.It is fat at the base and thin at the top.We will see what the Dr. says tomorrow.But you were asking about the insurance, I did not have a problem. I need more surgery but can't collect disability again until March next year. I hope I can wait.I dont know if this helps but this is my story.LOL

Sue

That is exactly my problem the fat at the base and thin at the top----so since you posted this message ---is your toe normal now??? And, what did the doctor say about it??? THANKS for info