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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / February 2006Big Toe Joint - Implant or Fusion?
I was diagnosed with Hallux Rigidus (painful big toe joint with limited movement) and had surgery to remove bone spurs and clean up the joint a year ago. It never did stop the pain & it hurts worse than ever now. The Podiatrist that did the surgery now recommends an implant called a Hemi. Frankly he didnt sound that convincing that it would fix my problem. I went to an Orthopedic surgeon today for a second opinion. Well the surgeon says the best way to go is to fuse the joint together using screws & a metal plate. He does not do toe joint implants and does not recommend it either. He says there are too many problems with the procedure that my Podiatrist recommended. He claims there are 7 or 8 other orthopedic surgeons that specialize in foot and ankles in this area and that none of them will do that implant procedure. He claims he has done "literally hundreds" of the fusion procedure and the success rate is very high. The Podiatrist has done only 25 Hemi procedures over 8 years He says that it shouldnt affect my walking "much". My questions are 1.How much will the fused big toe joint affect my mobility? Will I limp? Frankly I limp a little now with the sore joint! I am male, 49 years old and fairly active, I would be more so if my toe didnt hurt all the time. 2. Does the fusion get rid of all of the pain? 3. Does anyone have any experience with the Hemi implant? Good, bad? I would appreciate any input any of you might have Thanks in advance! Ted, I had to have all of the toe joints on my left foot fused over ten years ago and I do not experience pain in them and it has never thrown me off balance or affected my gait. Don Whitely > problem. > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > Thanks in advance! Hi Ted, Let me start by saying I don't know what a "Hemi" is. I've had a Partial joint replacement in my L big toe. Why they didn't replace the entire joint I don't know. I guess it was the "current knowledge" thing. Docs recently have told me "oh you had one of those" and "they don't do that procedure anymore". What has happened is the joint swelled to about 3x's normal size and stayed that way.......forever. Have a hell of a time finding shoes as I can't have any pressure on the joint without severe pain. This was done around 10 yrs ago now. Arthritis has pretty much fused the joint so they see no point in fusing it with devices. Problem is, it isn't 100% fused and occaisionally I get "over the top of the toe" as I call it and the joint moves "too far". Extremely painful and then very sore for the next few days. I can't recommend what to do in your case, but if you go for the joint replacement make sure they replace the entire joint and not half of it. GaryZ >I was diagnosed with Hallux Rigidus (painful big toe joint with limited > movement) and had surgery to remove bone spurs and "clean up the joint a [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Thanks in advance! Hello Ted (and others), I think I know what you're talking about (the "hemi, I mean). The procedure is called "arthroplasty", and I just had one done last October for Hallux Rigidus on my left foot. I have a metal implant in the distal joint. Thus far I have no regrets. I still have some swelling, but it is diminishing. The ROM didn't come back on its own so I've just started physiotherapy and am starting to feel things loosen up. Actually, my entire foot needs physio; after 20+ years of deterioration due to arthritis and walking strangely to accommodate the affected joint, all of the bones in my foot are stiff and need some work. (FWIW, I'm 43 years old.) The recovery for this procedure is generally 3-6 months. I have just passed the 3 month mark and am confident of a good outcome. How confident? I also have Hallux Rigidus in my right foot and am on the waiting list for surgery in March. I plan to go ahead with it when I get the call. I can't say that I'm pain free yet, but I don't expect to be. Occasionally I feel a twinge in the joint where I had the surgery, but it's nothing like the severe pain in the other joint that hasn't been done yet. Finally, my surgery was not performed by a podiatrist. I am being treated by a very fine orthopaedic surgeon in Toronto. Just another point of view. Kind regards, Maureen in Toronto (who was been lurking on ASA for a very long time) > Hi Ted, > Let me start by saying I don't know what a "Hemi" is. I've had a Partial [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] >> >>Thanks in advance! >I think I know what you're talking about (the "hemi, I mean). The >procedure is called "arthroplasty", and I just had one done last October >for Hallux Rigidus on my left foot. I have a metal implant in the >distal joint. What a pansie! A real man/runner, would run through a minor injury like this. Hi Maureen, I'm very glad to of your successful outcome with your procedure! Perhaps I'm just one of the "weird" ones for whom it didn't take. No comments from the peanut gallery now :-) GaryZ > Hello Ted (and others), > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > Kind regards, > Maureen in Toronto (who was been lurking on ASA for a very long time) >I'm >just one of the "weird" ones for whom it didn't take. Don't worry, you can still lead a meanigful life as a sexless freek. You can deliver papers. It's at night, so nobody'd see you. Hi Gary, I'm sorry that your procedure didn't work out. And I sympathize about the shoe issue. With an oversized joint and ROM issues shopping for any kind of footwear that doesn't press down in the wrong places can be a really frustrating experience. These days I mostly wear two-strap Birkenstocks, but am looking forward to something a bit more stylish once I've recovered from both surgeries. Regarding your current situation, would pursuing fusion with another surgeon be possible? I don't believe in putting up with pain needlessly when there are alternatives. And even if the joint has almost fused on its own, there could be many painful years before it decides to stop moving without surgical intervention. Cheers, Maureen (in Toronto where the weather is sunny but the political forecast is not :-( ) > Hi Maureen, > I'm very glad to of your successful outcome with your procedure! Perhaps I'm [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] >>Kind regards, >>Maureen in Toronto (who was been lurking on ASA for a very long time) Hi again Maureen, I am going to see a different podiatrist (old one left the hmo) as I'm having some trouble with plantar facitis (?) these days and don't want to wait too long to address it. I will see what his recommendation is for that foot. GaryZ > Hi Gary, > I'm sorry that your procedure didn't work out. And I sympathize about the [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Maureen (in Toronto where the weather is sunny but the political forecast > is not :-( ) Hi Gary, I hope you find some relief after you see your new podiatrist. I'm a bit curious about something, though. Why a podiatrist rather than an orthopaedic surgeon? I thought that all bone surgery was done by orthopaedic surgeons, but perhaps I'm mistaken. Finally, my physiotherapist said something interesting to me last week. She said that if you want to find out who the good surgeons are, ask a physiotherapist. They see all the patients who need help post surgery, and learn pretty quickly who is skilled and who is not. Cheers, Maureen (in Toronto, where we are now blue in more ways than one :-( ) > Hi again Maureen, > I am going to see a different podiatrist (old one left the hmo) as I'm [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >>Maureen (in Toronto where the weather is sunny but the political forecast >>is not :-( ) Hi Maureen, The podiatrist did both the implant on my left foot and the bunionectomy on my right. He actually did the bunionectomy in his office suite (little surgical room). That is a long story in itself though! :-) GaryZ > Hi Gary, > [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] >>>Maureen (in Toronto where the weather is sunny but the political forecast >>>is not :-( ) > Hi Maureen, > The podiatrist did both the implant on my left foot and the bunionectomy on [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > :-) > GaryZ Hey I jujst had bunionectomy and I am going in for my third surgery now on same toe. It was all done in OR, with african american surgeons and techs .(Sorry I dont trust em')Also at VetHosp. Here is a post I wrote earlier, tell me what you think please. I am going back to the Richmond VA hospital for my third surgery for a bunionectomy. Shopuld I be looking for a lawyer? I had a hammertoe straightened also.Original surgery on 1-27. Thwo screws and pin in second toe with stitches across top of 2nd toe and three inch scar running along top left side of right foot. Was called in again that week for another surgery!Large toe wasnt doing right. They stretched on it making a large "V" and inserted a wire into big toe. Now MY two toes are making a "peace sign".They used to be aligned, but I had large bunion. I was told that a screw wuld bring it into line and correct the formation of corns on 2nd toe.(Hammering against it) ANYWAY, Im scheduled for surgery on the 22nd of Feb. The "V" is not acceptable.I told them that, the day they did it, but they said"OH when we take the wire out, it will be straight. Are these people incompetent?Should I be scared?I wanna see my civilian doc, but he cant see me before the 22nd, and what if the surgery IS neccesary.(I dont doubt that it is NOW) Can a doctor out there let me know something? ALso I have had locals in the past, because I dont trust them, they wanna knock me out this time. ANother thing, The entire OR staff was BLACK. This is no time for affirmative actionb clowning around. I think one of the surgeons was mad at me cause I took aspirin(Nobody told me not to, I had a migraine that night)SO he cursed at me during the surgery. I asked him to loosen the cuff for just a second, as I was getting a charlyhorse. He said"Well thats what you get for taking aspirin", and laughed. Maybe you dont believe blacks can be racists, but if you dont, you have never lived around them much. Or any big cities.I really dont care about all of that, but Im trying to think of everything that could have caused a simple bunionectomy to run into 3 surgerys, and will that be all???Am I gonna lose my foot?? walt reply to hingerty@verizon.net >Hey I jujst had bunionectomy and I am going in for my third surgery now Cool! How long before they change your license to "female"? and give the vagina? >> Hey I jujst had bunionectomy and I am going in for my third surgery now > > Cool! How long before they change your license to "female"? and give > the vagina? I asked a serious question, is there a point to your reply? I wouldnt think that people would lurk around this type of NG to start arguments. You wont get one form me. I am a VietNam vet getting shoddy treatment from the Rich VA Vet hosp. I dont have any kind of license. Im just an agin exhippie, widower with one dead child, another Im trying to put thru college on the money Imake delivering Pizzas. Y'see were not niggers, so we have topay our way. We dont get affirm action, Gov loans, etc etc. We are just white disenfranchised crackers. Descendants of Confederate soldiers. Proud of it. >>> Hey I jujst had bunionectomy and I am going in for my third surgery now >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > are just white disenfranchised crackers. Descendants of Confederate > soldiers. Proud of it. LOLOL You did not have to tell us the last part. We could of told what you are from in what you say. Some day when you stop blaming others for your problems,,,,,, they will become smaller and less important. I too could not find help with getting my youngest through collage and me with RA and having to take early retirement from work. It took over 2 years to get any kind of disability money but she started getting school loans and working to make it. They can do it if they want it bad enough. She has a doctors degree now and I am very proud of her. She is a professor at the Univ. of Leeds, England. Someday I hope you realize that what is important is not about skin color or where your from,,,, but how hard your work for what you want in this world. If other people seem to get a break or two that you do not,,,, good for them because you have not walked in their shoes and do not know what they have had to live with. The wife and I have put four kids through as high as they wanted to go with education and job training and they all worked while they went to school. Please do not forget to let your son know how important he is to you and that you are proud of him for getting more education than you got. Harv >>>> Hey I jujst had bunionectomy and I am going in for my third surgery now >>> Cool! How long before they change your license to "female"? and give [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > color or where your from,,,, but how hard your work for what you want in > this world. If other people seem to get a break or two that you do not,,,, Affirmative action is OK?? > good for them because you have not walked in their shoes and do not know > what they have had to live with. The end result is we end up with people on the phoine who get our orders wrong, bamk tellers who cant count, or cant be bothered, Doctors who shouldnt be VETS, lawyers who take bribes, Across the board Blacks commit more crimes, per capita, numerically, any way you slice it. Are you using the theory that hard work is always rewarded, and the good always get ahead. If this were true my wife and daughter would still be alive. MANY TIMES nice guys finish last. You just pick yerself up and go on. Could you? I hope you never have to find out. > The wife and I have put four kids through as high as they wanted to go > with education and job training and they all worked while they went to > school. Please do not forget to let your son know how important he is to > you and that you are proud of him for getting more education than you got. > Harv You are misguided my friend. And yes my son is my world. I lost my wife and daughter several yrs ago. Its just me and him. He's a good boy, and his politics are his own<g>He probably thinks Im a nut.haha. But seriously its not skin color. My great grandmother was black. Very few Americans are 100% anything. But can you tell me you will be happy when Hispanics are 90% of the population? WHn our national lingua is Spanish? Or maybe there is no white race at all...If you go into a black home(I was a heroin addict for yrs, I know many)First you see a pic of the Communits Martin L King(Not his real name)There are few books, and if there are any, they are about sports figures(black)I know I wont change yer mind. I cant. But I weould like for you to see, that I am a white sepratist. Sepratist is the operational word. We would like an area of this land where we could go and be left alone. Do you live in a "black neighborhood"?It always kills me how people say, "Oh you are so prejudiced, its only skin color"If thats all it was...there would be no problem. It is an attitude. Rap music.WElfare,crime, crack,bellshaped curve, hitestosterone rates. These are quantifiable. Orientals are smarter than whites, in genberal, but that doesnt bother me one iota. Im proud to be white. Is that racist? ANy more tha.."Say it loud..Im black and IM proud!" Thas OK Huh, BTW was OJ guilty? Ask any black that question. Tell me about skin color. TaKE care, yer a lucky man, I envy you. > Affirmative action is OK?? It was needed at the time. Like anything in life,,,,humans can screw anything up and now its gone too far. > You are misguided my friend. And yes my son is my world. I lost my wife > and daughter several yrs ago. Its just me and him. He's a good boy, and [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > how people say, "Oh you are so prejudiced, its only skin color"If thats > all it was...there would be no problem. :-) Do you know how far up tobacco road Toccoa is in North East Georgia???? That is where I spent my early years. Do not tell me that a person can not climb out of that kind of early years and make something of their life without having hate for their fellow man no matter the skin color. I know you have had some tough breaks in your life. Tomorrow is not to late to start making things better in your life and let all the hate flow out the end of your finger tips and away. You have to accept the mistakes you have made and the things that have happened in your life that you have no control over. They are done and over with and can not be changed. Aaaah, but tomorrow,,,,,, you can do something about that for your sons sake and yours. It > is an attitude. Rap music.WElfare,crime, crack,bellshaped curve, > hitestosterone rates. These are quantifiable. Orientals are smarter than > whites, in genberal, but that doesnt bother me one iota. Im proud to be > white. Is that racist? ANy more tha.."Say it loud..Im black and IM proud!" > Thas OK Huh, BTW was OJ guilty? Ask any black that question. Tell me about > skin color. TaKE care, yer a lucky man, I envy you. Thank you,,, life is not easy. There has to come a time in your life when you make peace with the people and ideas that have harmed you. You and I are going to die someday and when we meet the Lord,,, we must bring more than a hate filled life to stay there. Kilgore Trout,,,, LOLOL One of my favorite authors character. Harv >>>> Hey I jujst had bunionectomy and I am going in for my third surgery now >>> [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >degree now and I am very proud of her. She is a professor at the Univ. of >Leeds, England. Well not being good enough to practice medicine in the USA is nothing to be proud of. Maybe if she keeps studying, in 40 or 50 years they'll let her into the USA again. > Someday I hope you realize that what is important is not about skin >color or where your from,,,, but how hard your work for what you want in [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >you and that you are proud of him for getting more education than you got. >Harv In your case, I think if they graduate junior high, they've surpassed you and your expectations. >>> Hey I jujst had bunionectomy and I am going in for my third surgery now >> >> Cool! How long before they change your license to "female"? and give >> the vagina? >I asked a serious question, is there a point to your reply? Yes. >I wouldnt think that people >would lurk around this type of NG to start arguments. I'm not arguing, just asking a question. >You wont get one form me. I am a >VietNam vet getting shoddy treatment from the Rich VA Vet hosp. Or a "Viet Vet whiner" eh? Honest to god, I wish the cong had shot you bunch of f.cking whining little bitches. No soldier from any war EVER before, ever cried, pissed, moaned, and bitched like you pack of Viet-w.nkers. > I dont have any kind of >license. Im just an agin exhippie, widower with one dead child, Your house will smell better if you bury that dead child. >another Im trying to put >thru college on the money Imake delivering Pizzas. Pizza delivery? ROTFLMAO! That's one notch below "Shoe Salesman". >Y'see were not niggers, Trash is trash, with no color barriers. We'll just call you "white trash" for now. >so we have >topay our way. We dont get affirm action, Gov loans, etc etc. We are just white >disenfranchised crackers. Descendants of Confederate soldiers. Proud of it. Nothing to be proud of, being descended from murdering scumbags. >>>> Hey I jujst had bunionectomy and I am going in for my third surgery now >>> Cool! How long before they change your license to "female"? and give [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > > Nothing to be proud of, being descended from murdering scumbags. Does that mean that you are also prejudiced, albeit against white anglo saxons? As to your crack about burying my dead child, Im gonna consider that you meant metaphorically. Yes I try not to dwell on it, but its the kinda thing that just seems to come into your mind at the oddest times. Shoe Salesman.....haha. I was laid off from Honeywell after 9 yrs. MAde a good wage, Teamsters Union etc. But y'know...we have two former RNs delivering Pizzas too. They quit nursing cause they make MORE, and better hours doing the pizza thing. Its really not that bad. Gives me time to listen to a lotta Podcasts, and novels on disk. I have a 2004 Prius so gas aint a prob. Hey I used to be a liberal. Voted for Carter.But wait a minute....how the devil did we get on this??My foot.This is a foot thing and I didnt mean to get on the race thing. But the fact remains that a pack of affirmative action knuckleheads butchered my foot. It seems to me I heard somewhere that kilgore trout wrote in article <J6FJf.2593$6f2.551@trnddc02>: >>> Hey I jujst had bunionectomy and I am going in for my third surgery now >> Cool! How long before they change your license to "female"? and give >> the vagina? [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >topay our way. We dont get affirm action, Gov loans, etc etc. We are just white >disenfranchised crackers. Descendants of Confederate soldiers. Proud of it. Ignore him, Walt. "TheBillRodgers", with a lot of aliases and several different domains, is a persistent troll in several other newsgroups, though I'm not aware he's ever been here before. People say he has occasionally posted something meaningful, but I can't confirm that.  SignatureDon Kirkman >Ignore him, Walt. "TheBillRodgers", with a lot of aliases and several >different domains, is a persistent troll in several other newsgroups, >though I'm not aware he's ever been here before. People say he has >occasionally posted something meaningful, but I can't confirm that. God, I am such an a.shole sometimes. Sorry, I was off my meds. Don Kirkman >>Ignore him, Walt. "TheBillRodgers", with a lot of aliases and several >>different domains, is a persistent troll in several other newsgroups, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Don Kirkman Everyone makes up their own mind with this kind of thing. An a.shole you are not. Blunt,,, to the point at times but its my opinion that we need more of that in this politically correct world of today. Harv >> God, I am such an a.shole sometimes. Sorry, I was off my meds. >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >more of that in this politically correct world of today. >Harv No Harv, I think I truly am an a.shole. I just looked it up in the dicktionary, and sure enough, my pic was there. Well back to molesting those young boys that are "sleeping over" tonight. Mpg in the morning! ;) Don Kirkman >>Everyone makes up their own mind with this kind of thing. An a.shole >>you [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Don Kirkman LOLOLOLOL, You will not change my mind with your humor. Harv >>>Everyone makes up their own mind with this kind of thing. An a.shole >>>you [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >LOLOLOLOL, You will not change my mind with your humor. >Harv "Humor"??? I'm serious Harv, I really am a grade A a.shole. What can I do to change that tiny peanut-sized lump of turd you call a brain? > "Humor"??? I'm serious Harv, I really am a grade A a.shole. What can I > do to change that tiny peanut-sized lump of turd you call a brain? LOL You win,,,,, your an a.shole. Harv >> Hi Maureen, >> The podiatrist did both the implant on my left foot and the bunionectomy [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > reply to hingerty@verizon.net I certainly would be concerned if I needed a third surgery for a simple bunionectomy correction. Some sort of second opinion by an outside doctor is in order in my mind. As to the racial remarks, I'll not honor those with a response other than to say I don't think it a factor when dealing with people of advanced intelligence such as surgeons and nurses. GaryZ >>> Hi Maureen, >>> The podiatrist did both the implant on my left foot and the bunionectomy [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] > people of advanced intelligence such as surgeons and nurses. > GaryZ I hate to think that this doc was so small minded too, but racial prejudice is not correlated with intle, in my experience. Thanks for replying tho, Im trying to get into see a civilian doc even tho I really dont have the money for it. It seems nothing is too shoddy for our vets. It gripes the hell outa me as a Viet Vet to be talked to like sh.t by some Sikh, or other SubContinenet type who has used affirmative action to get a spot in Med school that should have gone to a more qualified aMERICANcitizen. It leaves us with an army of 2nd rate clowns, who practice(I do mean pratice)on Viet era vets. But thanks just the same. walt > I hate to think that this doc was so small minded too, but racial > prejudice is not correlated with intle, in my experience. Thanks for [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > practice(I do mean pratice)on Viet era vets. But thanks just the same. > walt Hi Walt,,,, You have a great deal of anger to deal with each day,,, do you not? Our army is not 2d rate as you say. All,,,, everyone is a volunteer ,,,, not like in your day of Viet and being drafted. It took a couple of days to whip the hell out of the 3d largest army in the world in Iraq at the time. I am sorry you have not had a good experience with Vet.hospitals. A good buddy of mine had the same experience in two of the major sized ones for vets. Finding a really good doctor for yourself can be a problem and its talked about all the time in this newsgroup(ASA). It is time for Walt to have some good luck and I hope you do. Harv >I was diagnosed with Hallux Rigidus (painful big toe joint with limited > movement) and had surgery to remove bone spurs and "clean up the joint a [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > and fairly active, I would be more so if my toe didn't hurt all the > time. Absolutely not !!! My two big toes are fused and I do not limp, I can run...It is called an arthrodesis. > 2. Does the fusion get rid of all of the pain? I have no more pain. My toes are pain free. Because off the fusion the joint can not move ....and that mains : no more pain. > 3. Does anyone have any experience with the Hemi implant? Good, bad? NO > I would appreciate any input any of you might have. > > Thanks in advance! > > Wil Belgium Thanks all, you helped me decide on the fusion or "arthrodesis". The implanted partial joint replacement sounds like asking for trouble down the line... Ted > I was diagnosed with Hallux Rigidus (painful big toe joint with limited > movement) and had surgery to remove bone spurs and clean up the joint a [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Thanks in advance! Thanks all, you helped me decide on the fusion or "arthrodesis". The implanted partial joint replacement sounds like asking for trouble down the line... Ted > I was diagnosed with Hallux Rigidus (painful big toe joint with limited > movement) and had surgery to remove bone spurs and clean up the joint a [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Thanks in advance! Thanks all, you helped me decide on the fusion or "arthrodesis". The implanted partial joint replacement sounds like asking for trouble down the line... Ted > I was diagnosed with Hallux Rigidus (painful big toe joint with limited > movement) and had surgery to remove bone spurs and clean up the joint a [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Thanks in advance! I have done hemi implants for srthritic stiff big to ejoints and have had great success with them. I was using a silastic(silicone) type of total joint implant with good success but have switched over to a partial joint (hemi) type implant made of steel and chrome plating. The range of motion is wonderful without joint pain. Frankly I have done fusions also but considering your age and wanting to get more activity, I would hesitate to do a fusion type procedure. The hemis will probaly work fine and you could always have the fusion at some time in the future if needed. Once the fusion is accomplished, there is no going back. Dr. BOB >I was diagnosed with Hallux Rigidus (painful big toe joint with limited > movement) and had surgery to remove bone spurs and "clean up the joint a [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Thanks in advance! >I have done hemi implants for srthritic stiff big to ejoints and have had >great success with them. I was using a silastic(silicone) type of total [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Dr. BOB Hi Dr. BOB So any idea why my partial implant swelled and stayed that way for 10 yrs now? GaryZ >Hi Dr. BOB >So any idea why my partial implant swelled and stayed that way for 10 yrs >now? >GaryZ Yes Gary, as we told you in the office, until you cut back your "over-active" masturbation schedule (Viagra or not, 70 or 80x a day is just too much) at least in half. You "squeezed off" a couple during the MRI, and the nurses did NOT appreciate it. Dr BOB Are you a Podiatrist? It seems that Orthopedic Surgeons that specialize in ankles and feet think that the implants are unreliable. Why the difference in opinions? The Ortho guys have quite a bit more education don't they? You say "Frankly I have done fusions also but considering your age and wanting to get more activity, I would hesitate to do a fusion type procedure." Just how much would the fusion affect my activities in your opinion? My research shows that it shouldn't be much... You say "The range of motion is wonderful without joint pain." So you are saying that there would be no pain? How can you say that considering you are only replacing half of a joint where the cartilage is ALL gone? My Podiatrist says that some people have pain still after the implant. That's why I am going to have the fusion unless I see some pretty compelling evidence that the implants are reliable. Isn't it also true that the implants sometimes fail as soon as a year after being put in? What is the life span of a Hemi implant in your opinion? Is there anyone here that has had an implant that was successful (no pain) long term? I mean 5+ years? Thanks all... (except for the smart a.s thats lurking here) > I have done hemi implants for srthritic stiff big to ejoints and have had > great success with them. I was using a silastic(silicone) type of total [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > > > > Thanks in advance! >Are you a Podiatrist? Hey pal, we got enough perversions without you taking this subject here. If you want to ask people if they are peds, take it to alt.pedophilia.something. I was 29 years old at the time of fusion. I had damage done to th big toe while playing basketball 5 years prior. The damage never go repaired which led to large bone spurs and the toe being extremel painful and immoble. It was scary to learn that fusion was my onl option. The doctor said that mine was the worst she had ever see (and i was the youngest). The surgery was performed exactly 14 months ago. I can honestly sa it was the one of the best decisions i've ever made in my life! was on crutches for 2 weeks, walking in a boot for another 6 weeks and back in my shoes a total of 2 months after surgery. I had t take it easy for another month after that, but overall the proces wasn't bad There is absolutely nothing that I can't do that i could do before th surgery. I run, play basketball, bike, etc... I find myself muc more active than before, now that i don't have pain to worry about. I don't limp, or have to wear any different footwear which the sometimes tell you on medical websites. At first, it certainly feels a little different walking with a fuse toe. I got used to it very quickly. My gait is actually better tha before, because i was compensating for the painful toe. No mor mornings waking up with an aching toe. Usually i completely forget even had the surgery If you have any more questions about the process, i'll be glad t answer |
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