105 – Real Life Insights: Surgery for Non-Union
The following are accounts from five different people who have broken legs and/or ankles, comments from whom I have gleaned from the discussion site mentioned earlier
I was in an external fixator for 7 months and was still not healed. I've been through it and it does no good to try to rush things.
I thought once the healing started, I was going to be ok which is what the surgeon told me. Then at the 6-month mark he said the healing had stopped and I was going to need a bone graft. I went for a second opinion and found out I had an infection. So after 2 more surgeries to clear that up, I had the bone graft. It has been 14 months and I'm still operating at 50%, and back and forth to the doc.
It's been 2 years since I broke my ankle. It took 4 operations so far to get to where I am now, along with multiple cortisone, visco supplementation injections, painkillers, therapy, acupuncture (You name it, I tried it).
I battled a non-union for 3 years without success. Non-unions can be caused from many different sources. NSAIDS, smoking, poor circulation to the bone, diabetes, osteoporosis, infection, etc the longer this situation goes on, the harder it will be to resolve the situation.
When I shattered my right femur I went through 10, yes 10, surgeries to get it healed [still healing] and I wound up with 2 different sets of plates with screws, 2 different external fixators, and finally wound up with a 12mm rod through the bone from knee to hip. My break was in the lower femur but I had lots of trouble with infection that did not show up till 6 months after my initial injury. I very nearly lost my leg to infection
After these comments from others --forgive the pun-- I will add my own footnote:
I had an external fixator holding my leg together for 6 months, and then switched to a walking cast for a further 3 months (to date). Other than my original medical procedure, I have not had to endure further surgery, despite initial non-union, and did not experience any infection. So in just over 8 and-a-half months the bone has mended to the point that I can now walk without a crutch.
I am so thankful!
next chapter
I was in an external fixator for 7 months and was still not healed. I've been through it and it does no good to try to rush things.
I thought once the healing started, I was going to be ok which is what the surgeon told me. Then at the 6-month mark he said the healing had stopped and I was going to need a bone graft. I went for a second opinion and found out I had an infection. So after 2 more surgeries to clear that up, I had the bone graft. It has been 14 months and I'm still operating at 50%, and back and forth to the doc.
It's been 2 years since I broke my ankle. It took 4 operations so far to get to where I am now, along with multiple cortisone, visco supplementation injections, painkillers, therapy, acupuncture (You name it, I tried it).
I battled a non-union for 3 years without success. Non-unions can be caused from many different sources. NSAIDS, smoking, poor circulation to the bone, diabetes, osteoporosis, infection, etc the longer this situation goes on, the harder it will be to resolve the situation.
When I shattered my right femur I went through 10, yes 10, surgeries to get it healed [still healing] and I wound up with 2 different sets of plates with screws, 2 different external fixators, and finally wound up with a 12mm rod through the bone from knee to hip. My break was in the lower femur but I had lots of trouble with infection that did not show up till 6 months after my initial injury. I very nearly lost my leg to infection
After these comments from others --forgive the pun-- I will add my own footnote:
I had an external fixator holding my leg together for 6 months, and then switched to a walking cast for a further 3 months (to date). Other than my original medical procedure, I have not had to endure further surgery, despite initial non-union, and did not experience any infection. So in just over 8 and-a-half months the bone has mended to the point that I can now walk without a crutch.
I am so thankful!
next chapter
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