Many people visit the hospital annually to seek medical care for accident injuries. If you experience a traumatic injury on your ankle or develop a degenerative condition such as arthritis, it can cause debilitating pain and affect your mobility. Fortunately, with the advancement of medical technology such as ankle replacement surgery, it can relieve your pain, restore your mobility and enhance your quality of life. Nicolas Manriquez, DPM, FACFAS at Katy Foot & Ankle, PLLC, is well experienced in undertaking ankle replacement in Katy successfully. To inquire more or get started, call or book an appointment online today.
What Is Ankle Replacement Surgery?
This is an orthopedic treatment procedure that aims at restoring a diseased or damaged ankle joint. This is done by removing your ankle joint and replacing it with a prosthetic joint. This successfully eliminates swelling and pain while also restoring your mobility.
Who Is The Right Candidate For Ankle Replacement?
Ankle replacement surgery is usually recommended to patients experiencing severe arthritis, characterized by joint inflammation and pain. Moderate and mild arthritis is often treated with conservative methods such as custom orthotics, corticosteroid injections, and physical therapy. If your arthritis symptoms become severe or affect your ability to carry out daily activities, surgery might be essential. The surgery is also recommended to damage ankle joints during accidents.
How Should You Prepare For Ankle Replacement Surgery?
When you go to the doctor with an ankle injury or arthritis, they will first scrutinize you and inquire about your symptoms. They will then take you through a series of MRIs and X-rays to determine the damage extent and develop a personalized treatment plan. During the appointment, you should talk to the provider about any supplements or prescription medications you are using and inform them about any underlying health condition such as congenital heart defect or kidney disease. Such health problems can elevate the risk of experiencing complications during the surgery, so the provider must know in advance.
What Should You Expect During Ankle Replacement Surgery?
Ankle replacement surgery is carried out under general anesthesia. After you lose consciousness, the surgery specialist makes an incision above the ankle joint. He uses special equipment inserted through the incision to remove the damaged pieces of cartilage and bone. Then, the joint is replaced with a prosthetic joint made of plastic or metal held in place by screws and plates. The surgeon then stitches the incision for you to recover.
How Is The Ankle Replacement Surgery Recovery Like?
After the joint replacement surgery, you will need to remain in the hospital for several days. For faster recovery, the ankle is put in a cast and elevated. You will often experience swelling and pain, but the essential thing is taking medications and following your doctor’s recovery instructions. After you are out of the hospital, you should start to attend physical therapy, which is vital in lowering the complication risks of developing mobility problems.
To sum up, Katy Foot & Ankle, PLLC, team is highly experienced in performing ankle replacement to relieve your pain and restore proper mobility. They recommend the surgical procedure as a last resort if conservative treatments are not effective. To get started, call or book an appointment online today.
