Anyone Ever Have Ankle Surgery?

LeoGrl · ‎03-09-2010

My sister (and my very best friend) slipped and fell on ice the other day. She went to the ER and they splinted her and she had to see an orthopedic doc today and she has to have an ORIF for a bimalleolar ankle fracture. She was put in a boot and is so scared and uncomfortable. I've been trying to comfort her and she is so afraid to have the surgery. Has anyone had this procedure before and what to expect? I've been looking up online info for her but would love to hear from any nurses or people who have gone through this. I keep crying with her because she is afraid. She never broke anything before and I love her so much and any thoughts and words of comfort I can give her would be so much appreciated! Thank you!!!

SydneyH · ‎03-10-2010

Not sure what an ORIF is, but I've had surgery and some hardware inserted after a break. They put to sleep for the surgery and I was as good as new after the cast was removed and a couple weeks of rehab.

MaggieToo · ‎03-09-2010

I had ankle surgery 7 years ago. I had fallen and fractured the ankle. Surgery was a breeze. Because I am an older person, it has developed arthritis there, but that was to be expected. My ankle has a lot of hardware in it.

rondell · ‎03-10-2010

Leogrl, so sorry to hear this. All I know about an ankle injury is mine. I twisted the left one last week, and I'm still limping and experiencing swelling with some pain. Your poor sister must be having a good deal of pain, if it's broken. That can't be fun at all.

Your sister is very blessed to have you with her. I'm sure she'll be thankful after the surgery. She won't feel a thing since she'll be sleeping through it. I hope all goes well for her.

Qwackertoo · ‎03-11-2010

Oh no. I had a bi-mal but managed to survive WITHOUT the surgery. But I was literally couch bound for weeks and months . . . because he said if it shifted at all . . . surgery, plates and screws. Scared me to death. I only got up to go to the restroom for the first 6 weeks and to dr appts. . . . went down steps out of house on my rear and same way back up and would crawl to a chair to pull myself up. Thank goodness I was in good shape as doing many things on one leg takes some strength. Even kneeling on the running boards on my vehicle with bad leg, then step and pull up with good one . . . gag WORST THREE MONTHS OF MY LIFE . .. and my kids life and my husbands life . . . heck you'd think they had it harder than me.

Best wishes and a recovery for your sister. Oh and PT was a crock. Making the alphabet with your big toe pretend style. Heck I can do that for free at home. And heel lifts.

Qwackertoo · ‎03-11-2010

On 2/20/2014 rondell said:
Leogrl, so sorry to hear this. All I know about an ankle injury is mine. I twisted the left one last week, and I'm still limping and experiencing swelling with some pain. Your poor sister must be having a good deal of pain, if it's broken. That can't be fun at all.

Your sister is very blessed to have you with her. I'm sure she'll be thankful after the surgery. She won't feel a thing since she'll be sleeping through it. I hope all goes well for her.

rondell . . . my swelling took forever to go away . . . I guess when you're immobile . . . it adds to the time . . . toes higher than your nose . . . 24/7 for me for weeks except to sit up to eat/drink and go to restroom. Dr. said to get up high . . . thus toes higher than your nose.

sophiamarie · ‎08-08-2013

I don't know if this is the same or not, but 12 wks. ago I had 3 screws implanted in my thigh as a result of a fracture of the femoral neck. All I know is the Anesthesiologist came to me in the pre-op room and told me that they were putting something into my IV and I won't be aware of anything.

He mentioned something about a spinal too......

The next thing I knew was a nurse telling me to "wiggle your toes"..... It was all over.... I think the whole thing was about an hour - then I was in a Recovery Room for about another hour.

Do you mine if I ask how old your sister is???

LeoGrl · ‎03-09-2010

Thank you all for responding. I'm reading all your replies to her now.

Qwackertoo - The doctor she saw today was very quick for her to have the surgery...something about arthritis setting in. Were you given an option for surgery or not? He told her she would need it within 7 to 10 days. She was hoping to just have it casted and didn't know if she should get a second opinion.

LeoGrl · ‎03-09-2010

On 2/20/2014 sophiamarie said:
I don't know if this is the same or not, but 12 wks. ago I had 3 screws implanted in my thigh as a result of a fracture of the femoral neck. All I know is the Anesthesiologist came to me in the pre-op room and told me that they were putting something into my IV and I won't be aware of anything.

He mentioned something about a spinal too......

The next thing I knew was a nurse telling me to "wiggle your toes"..... It was all over.... I think the whole thing was about an hour - then I was in a Recovery Room for about another hour.

Do you mine if I ask how old your sister is???

She is in her mid-forties. She's also never had surgery before so she was scared of the pre-op and what to expect for it.

SydneyH · ‎03-10-2010

On 2/20/2014 LeoGrl said:
Thank you all for responding. I'm reading all your replies to her now.

Qwackertoo - The doctor she saw today was very quick for her to have the surgery...something about arthritis setting in. Were you given an option for surgery or not? He told her she would need it within 7 to 10 days. She was hoping to just have it casted and didn't know if she should get a second opinion.

You don't want the bones to 'knit' the way they are now. She can have someone take another look at her xrays, but timely surgery sounds like it's necessary, sooner rather than later.