did assistant do half the surgery? - Foot Problems Message Board

delem · 01-02-2008, 12:18 PM

:::sigh::: I'm 4 1/2 weeks post op and starting to feel like my recovery isn't going properly. My doctor performed a bilateral bunionectomy and triple hammertoe correction on each foot. In the pre-op room my doctor introduced me to his assistant, who I assumed would help out by passing tools and suturing the incisions, etc. Now that my bandages are off and I can get a better look at my feet, I'm noticing a huge difference between the left and right foot, causing me to think that my doctor did one and the assistant the other. My right foot, which was always the one giving the most trouble (larger bunion), looks perfectly straight. The toes lay flat and are as straight as I've ever seen them. In contrast, the toes on my left foot are completely out of wack.... one is up, one is down, one is left, one is right. And from day 1 out of surgery this same foot has given me the most pain. Additionally, the bump where the bunion was looks just as large as when I started. During my last visit he said the xrays look great but I noticed the bump still in my left foot but I didn't say anything. I want to call my doctor and raise my concerns but I don't want to insult his work. But I feel I have the right to ask why there is such a difference, did someone else do the other foot? I'm getting really nervous here, wondering if they'll need to do a second operation or if splinting the foot will provide a good enough result. I want this done right so I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed.

Someone heeeelp. I need to calm down or I'll go crazy
*Emma

debbie g · 01-02-2008, 04:14 PM

you have every right to ask your dr about why the feet look so different. i wouldnt accuse him of anything until you ask more questions. my hammertoe sticks up and i know my dr did the surgery. do any of the hammertoes stick up and do not lay flat? mine totally sticks up and is huge. its my 2nd toe next to the fused toe. it simply will not go down and i hate it because it hurts and it makes it very hard for me to walk.

stepbystep89 · 01-02-2008, 08:31 PM

Emma,
By all means, you have the right to ask why your feet look different. I would be curious to say the least. I do believe you may find that just like feet can be very different without having surgery, one foot's recovery can be completely unlike the other.
I learned in a book by Dr Oz that you should always ask your surgeon if he/she will be doing the surgery from start to finish or if anyone else will be completing any part of the procedure. As a matter of fact, when I asked my surgeon he told me it is an important question to ask because there are a number of surgeons out there who stand back and let their assistants or students do at least a portion of the surgery. My dr said he insists on doing the complete surgery. He is meticulous about his surgeries, according to the nurses.
I am not telling you this to scare you. I really think your feet looking different is probably just due to natural causes.

As far as the speed of your recovery, I have noticed something after reading posts on this message board for a few months. It seems like just about everyone reaches a point about a little more than half way through their recovery where they hit a wall. They start to feel like it is taking way to long to recover. They begin to lose their positive focus. Usually, they also seem to get very restless, bored and frustrated. Maybe you are going through that phase??? In my opinion, you are exactly where your body needs to be in order to have a complete recovery.
Happy healing!
Step

monster bunion · 01-03-2008, 10:34 AM

I agree with Step. I too reached a point where I didn't think I was getting better. Some weeks, I was even moving backwards. I went to PT and the guy massaged my feet so roughly, I was in a wheelchair for two weeks with bruises on the bottom of my foot. My husband would kindly say, don't lose hope, maybe you are getting better and you don't realize it. I had plenty of very bad days and prayed a lot. I had the big bunion surgery with cast and NWB for 6 weeks. It was only after 6 months that I could walk with confidence and my foot felt reasonably well. My foot still is stiff but tolerable.
Don't get discouraged. Also, before my surgery, I asked the surgeon if she would be doing the entire operation because I worked in a hospital and knew about residents and interns training in surgery. She said she would do the entire operation and only had an assistant to hold the instruments steady while she operated. It sounds reasonable that both your feet would not look exactly the same after surgery. Please give it some time and it will take some time to heal completely. You will be able to walk quicker than I did.

delem · 01-03-2008, 10:43 AM

You ladies are so fabulous! I don't know what I would do without you. I ended up seeing the doctor today just to ease my mind. He says its all due to swelling and that with physical therapy and more time weight bearing the differences should become more and more minimal. I have a feeling I'll get tired of the "it's just swelling" line but I guess that really is the root of most problems and will be for a long time. I'm ok with my feet looking a little different... heck, they were never pretty to begin with. I just wanted to be sure that there wasn't something seriously wrong that would require more surgery. Thanks so much for the reassurance!