Expected Outcomes?

Specialties Orthopaedic

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I'm hoping you all might be able to help me with a couple of questions. I'm a nursing student who has a husband who sustained a crush injury to his foot last Nov. His foot was crushed by an industrial (huge) forklift. He had dislocations and crushed bones from his first through fifth metatarsals. He also fractured and dislocated his navicular and cuniform bones. He was in an external fixator for nearly 4 months. Obviously, it's going to take a long time for a "complete" healing to take place. His bones are straight and in good alignment. My question is, his foot still gets really swollen and nasty looking at the end of every day. He is starting to feel more pain in the foot at the end of the day than he was. He feels burning sensations and just quirky little aches and pains all the time. I realize that there is major work going on with his nerves, but do you know typically how long one suffers with pain after an injury like this? Is there anything I can do to help him get some relief? He went to see the doc by himself last time and being the man that he is (no offense to the men in the house), he didn't ask ANY questions. UGH!! He's stressed out at the possibility of losing his job altogether. I just want to help him be as comfortable as possible. I'm sorry this is sooooo long. Thanks in advance for any input you might have.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I think husbands need us wives just to tease answers out of the doctors. I had a distal fibula/tibia fx and achilles tendon tear way back in '88 and my foot still swells and blues. Perhaps the doctor would consider some sort of compression device like an elastic stocking. That and ice and elevation should help a little.

I know that even if the bones look perfect there is still nerve pain that lingers. There are seizure meds that are used for chronic pain also. Bottom line hubby needs you to make some calls or visits to that doctor. I guess worker's compensation is covering this? You may want to ask legal advice in regards to the job situation. WC tends to be a little stingy.

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Thanks for the advice. Gosh, I bet you went through a rough time!! Yikes!! It's just been such a long haul for him already and I'm tired of seeing him hurt. And Yes, thank God it's all on WC!!

I think husbands need us wives just to tease answers out of the doctors. I had a distal fibula/tibia fx and achilles tendon tear way back in '88 and my foot still swells and blues. Perhaps the doctor would consider some sort of compression device like an elastic stocking. That and ice and elevation should help a little.

I know that even if the bones look perfect there is still nerve pain that lingers. There are seizure meds that are used for chronic pain also. Bottom line hubby needs you to make some calls or visits to that doctor. I guess worker's compensation is covering this? You may want to ask legal advice in regards to the job situation. WC tends to be a little stingy.

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I'm hoping you all might be able to help me with a couple of questions. I'm a nursing student who has a husband who sustained a crush injury to his foot last Nov. His foot was crushed by an industrial (huge) forklift. He had dislocations and crushed bones from his first through fifth metatarsals. He also fractured and dislocated his navicular and cuniform bones. He was in an external fixator for nearly 4 months. Obviously, it's going to take a long time for a "complete" healing to take place. His bones are straight and in good alignment. My question is, his foot still gets really swollen and nasty looking at the end of every day. He is starting to feel more pain in the foot at the end of the day than he was. He feels burning sensations and just quirky little aches and pains all the time. I realize that there is major work going on with his nerves, but do you know typically how long one suffers with pain after an injury like this? Is there anything I can do to help him get some relief? He went to see the doc by himself last time and being the man that he is (no offense to the men in the house), he didn't ask ANY questions. UGH!! He's stressed out at the possibility of losing his job altogether. I just want to help him be as comfortable as possible. I'm sorry this is sooooo long. Thanks in advance for any input you might have.

Sorry to hear about your husbands accident. As an ortho resident, I have worked up and operated on a lot of foot/ankle cases. I usually work them up in a poly trauma situation, and it seems that regardless of injury, the foot is the worst. The biomechanics are so important that throwing them off can cause problems for a long period of time. I had a patient with a lis franc foot injury(not even a fracture) an open femur fracture and an acetabulum fracture, was in the hospital for 3 months and at follow up was great except for the foot. You said it was a crush injury was there an associated compartment syndrome? Unfortunately, they happen quite frequently and the current studies are inconclusive on whether they should be treated or not (the fix is a rough surgery that can be worse), also he is in an ex fix, and it is obviously the definitive treatment being out for four months. In his case, physical therapy will be absolutely paramount as he begins to progress his weight bearing throught he foot. I agree with the above poster that compression stockings and even custom orthotics can help, but I'm afraid that some pain and swelling may permenant.

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