Surgery question

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Ortho.

I'll try to be brief, just looking for an opinion from anyone who has some experience in this area.

About six weeks ago I had a bunionectomy and also a small bony growth removed from the flexor hallicus longus tendon of my right foot. I have had a lot of pain and swelling in the area since surgery, and still have no active ROM in my great toe. MD sent me for an MRI the other day and I just got a call from the nurse at the MD's office that the preliminary reading showed a partial tear in the tendon. Obviously this will require additional surgery, and I have an appt. with the MD on Monday.

I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with this type of surgery. I know a lot about hips and knees, but not much about this! Is it possible to do it arthroscopically, or will it involve cutting the foot open again? How about recovery time, walking restrictions, etc?

Obviously I will ask the MD about all of this on Monday, but just wanted to get some info in the meantime. Thanks in advance for any replies!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

Unfortunately all dr's are different in how they perform specific procedures and what they will and wont let a patient do following. Get the information from the doctor on monday. Any other advice from this thread would be mispent since we dont know your doctor or your specific case.

Good luck and a speedy recovery.

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Okay first and foremost, tell me you went to an Orthopedic surgeon and not a podiatrist.

Obviously your MD will know your specific case, I can only postulate and comment on things you've said. It's common to have tenosynovitis of the FHL tendon, though to have actual boney ingrowth doesn't sound familiar and I've done a fair amount of orthopedic foot surgery.

There are two hallucidal sesamoid bones that protect your FHL tendon and help provide lever action for you Brevis tendon. If these were removed that might make it harder to range.

This is not a surgery that can be repaired via Arthoscope. The only arthroscopic surgery I've seen for feet is limited to diagnostic, debridement and maybe microfracture of OCD lesions.

Finally let me qualify this all by saying, I am a RN and I work in the O.R. specializing in sports and orthopedic hand and foot and obviously do not have as extensive a knowledge as your MD or any for that matter.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Let us know what the doctor said. I'm interested. I know that at times bunion surgery can be quite painful to recover.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Ortho.

Thanks for the info from those that posted...and just to be clear, I wasn't looking for a diagnosis or any medical advice, I was just curious to hear about what I might expect from those of you with experience in foot surgery.

Guess I'll get "the rest of the story" from the MD tomorrow, wish me luck!

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Hope your visit went well. It has been a LONG time since I had an impatient with bunion surgery. Perhaps as much as 15 years or so. What did the doctor say?

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Ortho.

Well, looks like I'll be going back in for surgery on Monday to repair the tendon with a cadaver allograft. MD thinks I went back to work too early after the last surgery so this time I'm looking at 6 weeks or more off. Not really looking forward to that much downtime, but on the other hand I know I pushed myself too hard and too fast after the last one, which could be what tore the tendon to start with.

Anyway, I'll keep you all posted as to my recovery. After all, I'll have lots of time on my hands!

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Hey time on hands = more time to spend on allnurses! Good luck w/ the surgery.

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