Left foot Triple Fusion

[m-3illY]

I am a long-term RA sufferer. I also have been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, plus T2 diabetes (under control), which complicates matters. I would like to know if anyone has had a Left Foot Triple Fusion within the last few weeks. Have they had any complications?

[Ange2016]

I had one when I was 17 yrs old (I'm now 62) and it's the only thing I've ever regreted in my life. I've had nothing but problems ever since. Constant pain, limp, development of osteoarthritis, unable to drive a manual car or wear high heels. It has now affected my knee and hip because of the way I'm walking. I've also recently started with back pain which I've been told is because if my ankle. I would definitely not recommend it to anyone and certainly would not go through it again if I could go back in time.

[helenlw7 in reply to Ange2016]

Can I be cheeky and ask which joints were fused. At the moment I am having problems with my subtalar joint and am waiting to have the third steroid injection in the joint. The next proposed move would be fusing the joint. My rheumatologist says his patients who’ve had it done regretted it. I was concerned to read your comment that you can’t drive a manual car, as well as the pain.

[DelicateInput]

I had a foot operation in April last year at the age of 68 for a bunion/arthritis I had had since I was 25.

Fusion was mentioned when I had seen a surgeon around 8/9 years earlier.

I had a minimally invasive procedure. It was a day procedure and took 30 minutes. I did not feel much pain at any point and was given a bagful of painkillers including opiates which I never needed to take. The recovery period was longer than I expected eg, a crutch for two weeks and thereafter a surgical shoe for several weeks. I put a lot of weight on due to the immobility which I never lost. I did not have the other foot done because, miraculously, the pain disappeared from it - I think I had putting all my weight on that (left) foot because of the disability in my right foot. I am glad I had it done because I kept falling over and the pain in both feet was horrendous.

Before you decide whether or not to go ahead, I would recommend that you see a foot surgeon who does minimally invasive surgery. The procedure to me was nothing and the recovery time is far far less than with open surgery. I went to the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath and I live in London. People travelled by plane from Scotland to be treated there on the NHS. The UK is behind in foot surgery and the best foot surgeons are reputed to be French and German. Mine was French and he did a brilliant job. I dance all night now in my high heels which I had not been able to do since my 20s. I can also stand for hours and walk miles without pain. It is just a pity I had to wait over 40 years.

[davannh]

Hi, what is the relevance of the past few weeks? Surely anybody’s experience is helpful? I had both my big toes fused about seven years ago. One developed MRSA, but after treatment it went away. My feet also had lots of odd bits of bone shaved off and other toes straightened. I went up a shoe size because my toes were straightened. I cannot wear heels at all, not can I go on tip toes. They are still painful, and because the implants for the fusions are metal I feel they get colder in winter. It is easier to find shoes that fit and I can put my feet flat on the floor which I couldn’t before.

[Cattledog]

I had a triple ankle fusion about 5 years ago. Had to have it done as the ankle joint was knackered and was causing serious pain. Had one big bolt and four screws put in.

I did have problems with it as the foot was bolted at the wrong angle. It was sort of rolling to the outside causing pain to the little toe bone. Had to go back in to have some bone ground off but they fractured the toe bone and damaged the one of the nerves in my foot with the grinding wheel.

The actual ankle has healed fine now with just a little pain.......a hell of a lot better than before! Unfortunately the side of my foot still hurts and it affects my mobility along with the underlying RA.

BTW, I've got type 1 Diabetes and although they were concerned about the risk of infection there was no problem regarding that.

If I had to give you advice I would say go for it if the level of pain you're getting now is unbearable!

[Lyneal]

Hi I have had two foot reconstructions where the ankle and heel are broken and repositioned, had new tendons in the arch, a cast & boot for 5 months but worth it now, at the time I didn’t realise it was RA related. My friend has had fusion and was very succesful.

[Marystevens]

Hi I am due to have a mid foot fusion due to OA next month, can you give me any advise on how to prepare for after op