If you only broke your ankle a year or so ago, then this might be pretty soon to have a fusion. I broke my ankle in high school, and I had numerous surgeries to try and repair things before we opted for fusion. And my break was a bad one--inside the joint itself, and so bad that the first surgeon opened it up and decided in the middle of surgery he couldn't fix it and ended up sending me on to a different hospital. The surgeries I had in the years since involved lots of bone scraping and shaving and every kind of hardware you can name, including screws to pins to plates to staples. In fact, I still have several staples in there now even after fusion because the bone had grown around them so much the surgeon couldn't pull them out. (And they feel NASTY, too--they stick out and are visible underneath my skin.) If you are satisfied with what your surgeon is telling you, then I would be content with that. And if not, then I wouldn't hesitate to get a second or even third opinion. The last surgery I had before fusion was about 10 years ago, and I had to go to three specialists before I could even find one willing to work on it. But that surgeon gave me another 7 or 8 years before I had to start seriously considering fusion.
I think you must still have some good cartilage in there if the cortisone shot gave you relief. I am obviously not in your shoes, but if I were I would try whatever I could first. There are some long term consequences to fusion, so if you can keep your natural joint for a few years that would probably be a good thing.
Good luck, and please keep us updated with what your doctor tells you in January!
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No problem! :)
If you only broke your ankle a year or so ago, then this might be pretty soon to have a fusion. I broke my ankle in high school, and I had numerous surgeries to try and repair things before we opted for fusion. And my break was a bad one--inside the joint itself, and so bad that the first surgeon opened it up and decided in the middle of surgery he couldn't fix it and ended up sending me on to a different hospital. The surgeries I had in the years since involved lots of bone scraping and shaving and every kind of hardware you can name, including screws to pins to plates to staples. In fact, I still have several staples in there now even after fusion because the bone had grown around them so much the surgeon couldn't pull them out. (And they feel NASTY, too--they stick out and are visible underneath my skin.) If you are satisfied with what your surgeon is telling you, then I would be content with that. And if not, then I wouldn't hesitate to get a second or even third opinion. The last surgery I had before fusion was about 10 years ago, and I had to go to three specialists before I could even find one willing to work on it. But that surgeon gave me another 7 or 8 years before I had to start seriously considering fusion.
I think you must still have some good cartilage in there if the cortisone shot gave you relief. I am obviously not in your shoes, but if I were I would try whatever I could first. There are some long term consequences to fusion, so if you can keep your natural joint for a few years that would probably be a good thing.
Good luck, and please keep us updated with what your doctor tells you in January!
December 26, 2011 - 10:26amThis Comment
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