Ankle Arthroscopy With Microfracture


May 10, 2016

So I had ankle arthroscopy with microfracture for an OCD in my left ankle on 13 Apr 16.

On discharge from hospital I was told by the physiotherapist that the surgeon was happy for me to walk on the ankle as soon as I could. I thought this was pretty crazy but surgeons know best right? It seemed at the time that the only reason I was given crutches was because I had been given a local anaesthetic nerve block in my left leg in addition to the general anaesthetic and therefore could not put my foot down as it was numb, although I still felt pain in the area of surgery which again I thought was odd. I was not given any form of cast or boot.

Between discharge and my post op review I stayed mainly non weight bearing but after a week or so I started trying to partial weight bear and tried to walk without crutches. My ankle was not happy about this one bit! And so I reverted to non weight bearing, hopping around everywhere on crutches.

At my post op review I saw a podiatrist and voiced my concerns that I could not yet walk and was still feeling pain. I then saw a different surgeon to the one who performed the op, who confirmed that his patients are always given an aircast boot and told to non weight bear for 2 weeks post op!! He then gave me a boot and told me to wear it for a maximum of 2 weeks and then to try to walk again. I am now at that point and I cannot walk and I am still in pain.

Does anyone have any advice/opinions on this?

Those who have started to walk, did you have pain at first and just carried on through it?

I'd be grateful for any comments, good or bad. I can be quite pessimistic at times but I'm afraid I may have hindered my recovery my following the initial instructions.

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I had an OCD 15mm by 13mm removed and microfracture to my ankle last Tuesday (6/25/13). I have been sitting with my leg up on the sofa since.

I have been placed in crepe bandages while the wounds heal and go back to get the stitches out 2 weeks post op. I was wondering what they will do dressing wise at the 2 week stage. i'm non-weight bearing for 6 weeks but I feel really vulnerable with my foot just in crepe bandages. Will I be provided with an air boot or something or is there any ideas as to how to protect it?

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Went through several months of PT and it seemed pretty good.

About 18 months post surgery, I was having issues with the ankle. My doc at the time suggested a shot of cortisone - which I agreed to - but didn't really help. He then suggested I might look into other options - all of which my insurance considered "experimental" and would not pay for. So I limped along.

Finally, last month, while stretching my ankle gave a loud "pop", hurt like the dickens and swelled up. So, I finally felt "pushed" to go to a new doc my primary highly recommended (and who was covered by my new insurance).

Wonderful new doc. Admitted he felt OATS was not a step for me since my OCD went off the side of the talus. He was going to send me to someone who specialized in cadaver plants - but first - a new MRI.

New MRI was good, but with the high powered system, my ankle was in bad shape - felt like it knocked something loose in the joint. I called the new doc to ask if that was a possibility. He called me back himself and said he already had the results of the MRI and he now felt comfortable recommending re-doing the microfracture/debridement again over the cadaver implant. As he said, if the m/d failed we could still do the other at a later date.

So I have an appointment on Monday to actually SEE the MRI results and discuss/set-up surgery. My biggest challenge - choosing a time frame.

While I would love to do it immediately and be done with it - our county fair is in a month and as a Division Chair, I know I wouldn't be able to do my job in any way (climbing and setting displays) - and my kids are all Division Chairs on their own, so I really don't have any help to rely on. Then there is the wedding of my adopted son five hours away the first weekend in September....My oldest son suggested I wait until after the wedding - which is fine - except for the fact that it's football season and I'm running for public office and have a campaign to very literally run! LOL. Maybe being on crutches for the busiest part of my campaign will get me a few sympathy votes - because I think I will talk to the doc about saving the surgery for early September.....which will put me able to walk somewhat normally maybe by Christmas.

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Last night due my "support" person taking a "personal day" I took it upon my self to take out the trash. I had my first post op this past Monday and the stitches were removed. I'm suppose to be NWB for 6 weeks post op and as of Monday wearing my aircast 24/7 except for showering.

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(note this was right after the injury, pre-crutches, when there was still a lot of edema)

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