need opinions on doing foot surgery on both feet at the same time - Foot Problems Message Board

bflgs · 11-09-2008, 02:17 PM

I had surgery a year ago on my L foot. It was to remove a Morton's neuroma, fix a hammertoe and an oseotomy on both the 2nd and 3rd toes. The surgery and initial recovery were uneventful but the long term healing has been less than optimal. I have had ongoing problems with swelling, intermittent pain and a major problem with what the OS terms a toe drift of my 3rd toe into my fourth toe which is causing additional problems. My OS has said that the outcome is not near what he expected but says doesnt offer much in answers to the problems except for maybe trying PT and orthotics.
I started PT in June and went for several months. Even from the beginning she felt that I needed a second opinion from a highly recommended OS out of town. I finally went in October and he said that a lot of the problems are a result of some compromised blood circulation in the oseotomies (Of course due to no negligence on the part of the first OS

and that the only solution would be to surgically go in and fix it. He had thoroughly checked both foot as I have 2 hammertoes on the R foot. He suggested that I go ahead and go ahead and do both feet at the same time. His rationale is that I eventually will need to get the 2nd foot done and this way would save on anes. time, surgicenter cost and one recovery time period instead of two. Even though I see his rationale I am having a hard time even having to do a second surgery to fix the first let alone have the pain of dealing with two operated on feet.
I am sorry for the long post but as I am stressing big time about this whole thing I thought I would see what other people who have foot problems would do if it were them.

Wymom94 · 11-09-2008, 11:32 PM

Hi bflgs, My son's Dr suggested surgery on both feet for him (not now, in 2-3 yrs) and suggested they NOT be done at the same time, that the recovery would be harder on my son. He suggested doing them about 8 months apart, 3-4 at the least. From my own perspective, I don't have the foot problems my son has but I did have two back-to-back surgeries this year myself, not at the same time but 5&1/2 weeks apart. Mine were spinal, neck, then lower back, and it was really, really hard on me to have them so close together. It's nice for me now not having to back in for a 2nd surgery, but recovery was really tough with two areas to deal with (which I liken to both feet in your case).
Good luck with your surgeries, whether they are at the same time or not.

debbie g · 11-10-2008, 02:26 PM

it depends on if you can have full time help. if you are weight bearing it may be a good idea.

LoveTennis · 11-12-2008, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bflgs

I had surgery a year ago on my L foot. It was to remove a Morton's neuroma, fix a hammertoe and an oseotomy on both the 2nd and 3rd toes. The surgery and initial recovery were uneventful but the long term healing has been less than optimal. I have had ongoing problems with swelling, intermittent pain and a major problem with what the OS terms a toe drift of my 3rd toe into my fourth toe which is causing additional problems. My OS has said that the outcome is not near what he expected but says doesnt offer much in answers to the problems except for maybe trying PT and orthotics.
I started PT in June and went for several months. Even from the beginning she felt that I needed a second opinion from a highly recommended OS out of town. I finally went in October and he said that a lot of the problems are a result of some compromised blood circulation in the oseotomies (Of course due to no negligence on the part of the first OS

and that the only solution would be to surgically go in and fix it. He had thoroughly checked both foot as I have 2 hammertoes on the R foot. He suggested that I go ahead and go ahead and do both feet at the same time. His rationale is that I eventually will need to get the 2nd foot done and this way would save on anes. time, surgicenter cost and one recovery time period instead of two. Even though I see his rationale I am having a hard time even having to do a second surgery to fix the first let alone have the pain of dealing with two operated on feet.
I am sorry for the lobng post but as I am stressing big time about this whole thing I thought I would see what other people who have foot problems would do if it were them.

[B]Hi bflgs,

Sorry to hear about your problems with the first surgery.

I had bilateral bunion + hammertoe (2nd toe on each foot) surgery 2 months ago, and I'm glad that I had both of my feet done at the same time. The pain was really minimal and I could walk in surgical shoes the day of the surgery. The bandages were off in 10 days and I was in my gym shoes on that day, and I started PT at the same time per my doctor's order. I'm now walking almost normally and doing some swimming this week which help a great deal. Hammertoe take a long time to heal and you really have to be careful not letting the toe to flot. My doc taught me how to wrap the toe when I go the sleep.

I totally agree with your doctor's (as well as mine) suggetion of one recovery, it makes perfect sense to me.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Good luck with your surgery!

Jean

catldyfromnpt · 11-13-2008, 07:16 AM

if you'll be non weight bearing.. then I'd say no.. don't get them both done at once. you really need that one foot to stand on when you can't use the other.. but if you're you're able to walk on them.. then I'd say do it and get it all over with at once. but only if you have plenty of help. good luck.