Ankle fusion refers to the surgical removal of cartilage and diseased bones from the joint and the fusion (growing) of these bones into one unit. Good cartilage forms the joint and allows for painless movement between bones. While damaged and/or diseased cartilage may allow for some motion, this motion can be very painful and can even lead to disability. There are three types of bones that have their cartilage removed. The talus has a dome-shaped top that is where the cartilage is removed. The tibia is the long, thick bone in your leg.
The Fibula
The fibula is the shorter, thinner bone on the outside. The underlying bone can be exposed by removing the cartilage. This underlying bone can grow to fuse with other bones. Ankle fusion is used to relieve pain from joint motion by fusing talus bone to tibia bone. The fibular bone may also be fused with the other bones. Ankle Fusion is performed for what purpose? Ankle fusions can be used to relieve pain, improve walking ability, and improve quality of life. First, conservative options are usually tried. These conservative treatments include pain relief for arthritis. These non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication and analgesics can be used.
You can also try corticosteroid injections. Physical therapy can be tried. Bracing the ankle with ankle braces or a type of orthosis for the ankle is used to immobilize an arthritic joint. Sometimes, immobilization is attempted in a cast or camwalker cast. Sometimes, the ankle joint is subject to arthroscopy (scope procedures), or arthrotomy (“opening and cleaning”) procedures in order to repair or remove arthritic joints cartilage or bone. If these treatments fail, an ankle fusion procedure is performed.
Ankle Pain
What are some conditions that can cause ankle pain and damage? An arthritic joint can result from trauma, including ankle fractures or crush injuries. Major pain can be caused by chronic arthritis like rheumatoid, severe osteoarthritis and gouty arthritis. Infection of the ankle joint can lead to the destruction of the cartilage, which may facilitate fusion. Failure to perform ankle surgery can lead to fusion. Some congenital conditions may also require fusion. Chronic pain can result from ankle joint instability due to severe or persistent ligament tears. Sometimes, the ankle bone can become numb and die from lack of blood supply. This is often secondary to trauma.
Charcot arthropathy (joint disorder) is a severe form of arthritic damage that can be secondary to nerve damage. How is ankle fusion done? There have been many ankle fusion methods in the past. Most fusions can be done using one of these two methods. Sometimes, an arthroscopic technique can be used to fuse the ankle. This technique uses small incisions to remove the cartilage from the ankle.
Did you know?
Open surgery requires larger incisions to remove the ankle cartilage. There are many types of internal surgical hardware that can be used to hold the bones together and immobilize them during healing. There are many forms of immobilization available, including bone screws, bone staples and bone plates and rods. External surgical fixation devices are also possible. Sometimes bone grafts may be used to correct bone defects or severe bone loss. What happens after surgery? After surgery, you will need to rest, ice, and elevate.
Patients are usually not allowed to walk on the surgical area for up to three months. A non-weight bearing knee cast will usually be applied. Sometimes it takes more than three months. A weight bearing cast can be applied after the initial immobilization. Partial weight bearing is allowed. Crutches and a walker may also be used to aid in ambulation. As needed, pain medications may be used. Slowly, patients are allowed to return to full weight bearing ambulation. Physical therapy is often used. It can take six to twelve month for complete recovery.
Gouty Arthritis
Gouty arthritis is a painful condition that many people have experienced. Any information about purine-rich foods that can be avoided can be a huge help. Gouty arthritis should not be taken for granted. Most people have difficulty managing the disease once they get it. Gouty arthritis can change a person’s appearance from a good-looking one to one that is a grueling one. Gouty arthritis can make it difficult for even the most energetic person to do the things they love. The pain is so severe that it can stop them from doing the things they used to do. Low purine metabolism can trigger gouty arthritis. The end result of purine, uric acid, can cause gout.
Although this condition has been known for a long time, many people don’t know much about it or aren’t aware of the causes. There are many foods that can be considered to be high in purine, and many people don’t know how to eliminate them from their diets.
Gouty Arthritis
Gouty arthritis sufferers can avoid many foods. It is not possible to imagine that certain vegetables are high in purine and can cause gout. Asparagus, spinach, peas and cauliflower are just a few of the vegetables that can be classified as high in purine. Gout attacks can be triggered by frequent consumption of these vegetables. Gout can also be caused by gout-causing legumes such as navy beans, lima beans, mongo, and lentils.
If a person’s primary diet is vegetables, meat should not be included in their diet. High purine foods include poultry products like chicken, turkey, and duck. This list includes organs from animals as well as foods that have high purine. People with gouty arthritis who love beer should be aware that beer contains high levels of purine. To avoid gouty arthritis, it is better to limit alcohol consumption. Doctors and medics recommend that one reduce their intake of alcohol to lower their chance of developing the fatal gouty arthritis condition.