Re: MBA Implant Surgery and achilles tendon lenghtening
Hello! I had an implant/achilles tendon lengthening/bunion removal surgery two weeks ago. My doc is telling me 8 weeks before the cast comes off; however, it sounds like some of you had your casts off in 4 weeks. These last two weeks have been hell so I would really like to have my foot back as soon as possible. Does 8 weeks seem too long? Also, how does a doctor know when the achilles tendon is healed?
Re: MBA Implant Surgery and achilles tendon lenghtening
I think it depends on your doctor how long the cast will have to stay on. Also I didn't have any kind of bunion repair at all. In my case it was 4 weeks on one foot and 5 week on the other.
I think the doctor tells how your tendon is healing by feeling the back of your leg and more importantly the strength that you have gained back in the tendon. I know that my doctor always had me push on his hand to test the strength.
I know that I had to see another doctor to get my stitches out after my second surgery and she wasn't going to have me come back to see my regular doctor for another 6 weeks (which would have made it 8 weeks total). I let her know that I had my cast taken off earlier with my first surgery and she said that I could make my appt. to see my doctor and he could decide when the cast would come off, so, I think it depends on the doctor and how well your body heals (I had no problems with healing.)
Also, don't rush it if the doctor doesn't think you should. I have sense ruptured my Achilles tendon and that is absolutly no fun. I did than spend 8 weeks in a cast and on crutches.
Re: MBA Implant Surgery and achilles tendon lenghtening
i think this is the surgery i have had done all i really know is that there is a screw or implant in both of my ankles and that i had the tendon in the calf lenghted because i was born with some kind of foot deformity( calcaneovalgus with equinous i think)
do you know if the screws/implant can break or move? this is what i have been worrying about happening because then i will need ankle fusion without having insurance to pay
Re: MBA Implant Surgery and achilles tendon lenghtening
Kbest-
Thank you for the response. One more question...my next Dr's Appt is in 2 weeks. This will put me at about 4 weeks post op and I have not had my stiches removed. I'm worried the skin is going to heal over the stiches making the scarring worse when they are finally removed. When did you have your stiches removed? Also, how bad is the scarring on your foot? Is it very noticable? Thanks!
CFH-
I don't think you can break the screws or implants. It sounds like you had this procedure done a while ago. Therefore your bones should be fused into the correct position be now with the screws/impant just adding extra support. My doc told me that a year after the surgery I could have the implant and screws removed from my foot (if I was having any problems with them).
Re: MBA Implant Surgery and achilles tendon lenghtening
Quote:
Originally Posted by krw79
#$%^#&$^#*@(^$
????
i had my left leg done sept 14 05 and my right leg march 8 05 and i was told that the implants/screw/whatever would be in there permanently
my doctor never really answered all my questions or went into detail on what was wrong with me in the first place or information about the surgery other than the mention of a implant in both ankles and the tendon lengthing i was usually in and out of his office in 5 minutes and probably spent the most time with the nurse as she did the x rays and cast removals
i never even saw the x rays or had anything explained in detail
Re: MBA Implant Surgery and achilles tendon lenghtening
KRW79 - I had my stiches out two weeks after surgery. Maybe your surgeon used disolvable stiches or something. I am sure that it will be fine. My scars really weren't that bad. The scars up my heel are really starting to fade and the scars on my ankle you can't even hardly see at all now.
I also don't think that the implant is known to break. My surgeon showed me what the implant looked like at one of my pre-op appt's and it looked pretty sturdy to me. My surgeon did indicate that the implant would stay in forever unless I ran into problems. Thus far I haven't. He also said that if it were to ever have to be removed, that in most cases some of the correction is maintained even after the implant is removed (if it has been in a year or over.)
