What does reconstructive ankle surgery involve?
Reconstructive ankle surgery is an orthopedic operation that corrects the structures of your ankle, restoring function and mobility lost due to an accident, injury, or degenerative disease.
Your ankles contain a complex network of bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The design of your ankles allows them to resist heavy forces and regular wear-and-tear, but trauma can still occur. If conservative treatments like physical therapy and rest aren’t able to ease your symptoms, surgical intervention may be necessary.
What issues can reconstructive ankle surgery address?
At Ankle and Foot Center of Florida, your provider performs reconstructive ankle surgery to treat a number of issues. Dr. Gonzalez or Dr. Sanchez may recommend surgery to:
- Align and set broken bones
- Remove damaged cartilage
- Repair torn ligaments or tendons
- Replace an ankle joint with a prosthetic
They also perform surgery to address chronic problems like plantar fasciitis and neuromas.
What happens during reconstructive ankle surgery?
Thanks to advances in technology, Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Sanchez offer minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery. They usually perform reconstructive ankle surgery on-site as an outpatient procedure.
Before surgery, your provider administers general anesthesia, ensuring you fall asleep and feel no pain. Then they makes a small incision and inserts an arthroscope with a small camera attached to it into the injured area. After pinpointing the source of your discomfort, Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Sanchez use a series of tiny surgical instruments to repair your ankle.
If you have broken bones or damaged tendons and ligaments, your provider may use a series of screws and pins to repair the area and hold it in place. If you suffer from osteoarthritis or post-traumatic arthritis, they can perform an ankle replacement surgery and replace your damaged bone with a prosthetic.
After finishing your operation, your provider closes the incisions with stitches or surgical staples and applies a splint, cast, or dressings to limit mobility and promote healing.
What is recovery like following reconstructive ankle surgery?
Minimally invasive procedures like arthroscopy promise smaller incisions, less pain, and quicker recovery times. After surgery, your provider prescribes antibiotics and pain medication and gives you a list of recovery instructions to follow.
Take your medications as prescribed, keep your leg elevated, and apply ice as necessary. Depending on the type of surgery you had, you may also need crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair to help you move around. Be patient, follow the instruction given, and you’ll be on the road to recovery in no time.
To see if you’re a candidate for reconstructive ankle surgery, make an appointment at Ankle and Foot Center of Florida today by calling or clicking the online booking tool.
