The Brostrum Procedure is the standard procedure used to correct ankle instability.
It has been performed for over 50 years.
Brostrum's original paper was written in 1966.
Below are some links about the procedure.
Recovery is generally 3 to 6 months.
Brostrum Procedure / Wikipedia
Brostrum Procedure / Wheeless
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC164377/pdf/attr_37_04_0458.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC164377/
My name's Michael and I had ankle surgery in September 2014. I tore ligaments in my right ankle back in 1997 but could not have surgery at the time. I was able to walk without discomfort but could not run on the ankle. Fast forward 17 years later, the odd acute jolt of pain became a constant annoying ache when I walked.
ReplyDeleteI planned ahead for my surgery. I was told I would wear a cast-boot for a few weeks and not be able to walk. Complete recovery would take longer so my girlfriend volunteered to drive and help me at home. I was also told not to drive as the ankle might not be strong enough to brake with even though it may be able to apply throttle. So I learned left-foot braking before my surgery.
To aid recovery I bought the Cryo-Cuff boot as suggested. I also bought (eBay) anti-thrombotic cream I had used before (Hirudoid Forte) as well as an expensive cold laser (LLLT) device called TerraQuant Solo. Cold laser therapy was very effective on my injured shoulder when all other treatments proved unsuccessful.
Surgery went smoothly although I later found out my ankle joint did not respond to percutaneous surgical procedures. Instead Dr. Lu applied standard technique to complete the surgery. Percutaneous procedures would have involved less trauma, much shorter recovery time but the end result is the same. Dr. Lu also noted standard method provides stronger anchoring.
There was very little pain 24-36 hours after surgery. I applied the Hirudoid cream immediately to avoid edema and bruising around the bandages. I also applied cold laser away from the sutures. The real pain started on the 2nd night. I had to take one Percocet tablet when the pain kept me awake. The sutures also got itchy and I forgot the advice to leave the bandage on, proceeding to clean the sutures with hydrogen peroxide, applying a fresh bandage with triple antibiotic ointment. There was little bleeding and I could stand and hobble around a bit with the Cryo-Cuff. My GF brought crutches and I got around a bit quicker. On the 6th day I could stand on the bare foot. There was still edema and pain but I could walk without crutches and was more stable without crutches. I was able to drive, using my left foot to brake. On the 13th day I mowed the lawn. I ended up not needing physiotherapy as I was walking on my 1st post-operative appointment.
I had to be very careful not to invert my ankle to avoid damaging the operated ankle. I wore tensor bandages whenever possible. I accelerated my recovery pace as it has been my experience that recovery improves with a measured degree of challenge to the recovering area. I am also familiar with sterile technique and proper aseptic procedures. The Cryo-Cuff helped a lot. I wore it several times daily. I had the one with the electric pump. The Hirudoid cream was also very helpful. I had little edema and almost no bruising. The cold laser also reduced pain but its analgesic effects were brief when the pain was at its worst. It probably also helped with the healing but it's hard to say by how much. I took 2 Percocets all told. They were very helpful but I didn't want to depend on pain medication.
It's now 6 months after surgery and my right ankle looks normal. There is just a tiny bit of fullness along the front top (inferior extensor retinaculum). I was able to walk 3 weeks after surgery. There is some sensitivity on the ankle if I sit cross-leg with pressure right on the ankle. I can swim, ride my bike and run without pain but have not tried any long runs yet. Dr. Lu says my body will continue to make adjustments with the ankle over time. If I did not have surgery, I think the chronic pain would have worsened and my prospects would not be pleasant. It's advisable to have surgeries while still young as older persons often have problems with anesthetics and recovery.
I feel very lucky to have been treated by Dr. Lu who was very helpful and communicative during the whole process. I highly recommend the surgery to anyone who has a similar injury to mine.