Ankle Fracture Surgery Treatment

What is Ankle Fracture Surgery?

A broken ankle also called an ankle fracture. Ankle Fracture occurs when one or more bones that make up the ankle joint are broken. A fractured ankle can range from a simple break in one bone, which may not stop the patients from walking to several fractures, which may force the ankle out of its place and may be required that the patients do not put any weight on it for a few months.

Thus, more bones that are broken, more unstable the ankle becomes, and there may be damage to the ligaments as well. The ligaments in the ankle hold the ankle bones and joint in the position. Ankle fracture surgeries are required to treat severe fractures. The exact technique depends on the specific type of fracture.

Important types of Ankle fracture are:

• Bimalleolar Fractures (Bimalleolar Equivalent Fractures): "Bimalleolar" means that two of the three parts or malleoli of the ankle are broken. In most of the cases of bimalleolar fracture, the medial malleolus and the lateral malleolus are broken and thus making the ankle unstable.
• Trimalleolar Fractures: Trimalleolar fractures is said to occur when all three malleoli of the ankle are broken. These are unstable injuries and they can be related to a dislocation.
• Syndesmotic Injury: The syndesmosis joint is located between the tibia and fibula, and is joint by the ligaments. A syndesmotic injury may be just to the ligament, which is also known as a high ankle sprain.

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Need for Ankle Fracture Surgery Treatment

An ankle fracture surgery might be needed in several conditions including the following; here are some common reasons for requiring surgical intervention for an ankle fracture:

• Displaced Fractures
• Open Fractures
• Multiple Fractures
• Severe Fractures with Ligament or Tendon Injury
• Fractures with joint Involvement
• Non-Union or Malunion

 Ankle Fracture Symptoms

??????Signs and symptoms of ankle injuries and fractures are:

• Pain is the most common complaint.
• Generally, the pain will not come from the exact area of the fracture.
• The patients may experience associated fractures of their foot or knee that also result in pain.
• It is often the pain in the ankle that stops the patients from walking.

Swelling occurs around the ankle.

• Swelling suggests either soft tissue is damaged with the possibility of the blood around the joint or fluid within the joint itself.

When blood is in the joint, it is known as hemarthrosis.

• There may be bruising about the joint, although not immediately.
• In severe fractures deformities of bones may be seen around the ankle.
• The patient’s skin may be stretched over an underlying broken bone.
•  Actual exposed bone is visible.
• If the nerves or blood vessels that supply the foot are injured, the patients may experience even more pain along with pale skin in the foot, inability to move the foot or toes, or numbness.

What Complications can happen?

People who smoke, have diabetes, or are elderly are at a higher risk for complications after surgery, including with the problems of wound healing. This is due to the longer time required by the patients for healing the bone.

General surgical risks may include:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Pain
• Blood clotting in the leg
• Damage to the blood vessels, tendons, or nerves

Risks from the surgical treatment of ankle fractures may include

• Difficulty with bone healing
• Arthritis
• Pain from the plates and screws that were used for fixing the fracture.

Causes of Ankle Fracture

When an ankle joint experience the stress beyond the strength of its limit, the joint gets injured

• If only the ligaments give way and tear, the ankle gets sprained.
• If a bone gives way and breaks, then the patients have an ankle fracture.

Fractures can even occur with simultaneous tears of the ligaments. This can occur in several ways:

• The ankle rolls in or out
• The ankle gets twisted side to side
• Flexing or extending the joint
• Applying severe force to the joint

Facilities and Services offered for International Patients for Broken Ankle Surgery

Facilities and services of the international patients seen in ankle fracture surgery include the following main ones; these entail a wide range of care that focuses on making the whole process as easy as possible for the patient, this includes pre-operative consultations and post-operative care. These services may vary depending on the hospital or medical center, but generally, they include:

• Pre-Surgery Consultation
• Comprehensive Medical Services
• Emergency Medical Evacuation
• Surgery and Post-Operative Care
• Personalized Assistance
• Accommodation and Amenities
• Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy
• Follow-up Care
• Air Ambulance to India

Pre-Treatment Process of Ankle Fracture

Preoperative preparation of an ankle fracture patient requires several stages in order to correctly diagnose this condition, decide on the possible extremity surgery and to define further treatment and rehabilitation courses.

Here's a breakdown of what you can expect:

• Initial Assessment and Diagnosis
• Imaging and Diagnostic Tests
• Pre-Surgery Evaluation
• Pain Management
• Patient Education and Instructions
• Review of Risks and Complications

Diagnostic Tests for Broken Ankle Surgery 

X-rays are important in assessing the severity of an ankle fracture, and whether or not the patient will need surgery. The clinical indications of these tests are to assist the orthopedic surgeon to determine the nature of the fracture and the effect it has on the ankle joint as well as determining the presence of any intra-articular injury.

Here are the key diagnostic tests typically used for ankle fracture surgery treatment:

• X-Rays
• CT Scan
• MRI
• Bone Scintigraphy
• Stress X-Rays
• Arthroscopy

Treatment

The procedures for ankle fracture surgery treatment differ based on the specific type of fracture that the patients may have. Fractures like a lateral malleolus fracture of the tibia, where the fracture is simply out of place or unstable, can be simply treated with the alignment surgery. During this type of process, the bone fragments are first repositioned into their normal alignment, and then they are held together with the help of special screws and metal plates which are connected to the outer surface of the bone. In some of the cases, a screw or rod inside the bone may be used to keep the bone fragments together till they are healed. In more complicated fractures like a medial malleolus fracture impaction or indenting of the ankle joint is involved. Bone grafting may be required for repairing an impacted fracture. This graft acts as scaffolding for new bone to grow on and lowers any risk of developing arthritis later on. Depending on the fracture, the bone fragments may be fixed with the help of screws, a plate, and screws, or different wiring techniques.

Post-Treatment Process of Ankle Fracture

The ankle fracture post-treatment involves optimal bone healing, minimizing the risks of still-birth as well as regaining the normal use of the ankle joint. The extent of what is done varies with the degree of the fracture; the kind of management, be it conservative or operative and other factors that are characteristic of the patient such as age, medical history, and other injuries.

Here is a breakdown of the key steps in the post-treatment process:

• Initial Recovery Time
• Pain Management
• Follow-up Appointments
• Weight Bearing and Mobility
• Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
• Monitoring for Complications
• Long-Term Recovery and Lifestyle Adjustments
• Final Follow-up and Long-Term Care

Success Rate of Ankle Bone Fracture Surgery

Success rate of ankle fracture surgery ranges from 90-95% with majority of patients experiencing good to excellent outcome. Surgical fusion rates after bone grafting are consistently higher at about 90% or more, in 6-8 weeks

How Soon I will recover?

It generally takes at least 6 weeks for the broken bones to heal. Longer recovery time may be required if the ligaments and tendons are also involved.

• Pain Management: Pain after an injury or surgery is a natural part of the healing process, the doctor and nurses will work to reduce the pain. Medications are generally prescribed for short-term pain relief after surgery or an injury. Many types of medications are available to help manage pain, including opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and local anesthetics
• Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation holds vital importance regardless of how an ankle fracture is treated. When the physician allows the patients to start moving their ankle, physical therapy and home exercise programs are very vital. Doing exercises regularly is very important. It takes several months for the muscles around the ankle to get strong enough so that the patients are able to walk without a limp and are able to return to their regular activities.
• Supports: It is not uncommon to have different kinds of things to wear on the injured ankle, depending on the injury. Initially, most ankle fractures are placed in a splint for protecting the ankle and thus allowing the swelling to go down.

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Best Hospitals for Ankle Bone Fracture Surgery

• Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon
• Medanta The Medicity
• Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon
• Max Hospital, Saket
• BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, Delhi

Best Doctors for Ankle Bone Fracture Surgery

• Dr. I P S Oberoi
• Dr. Ashok Rajgopal
• Dr. Jayant Arora
• Dr. Kamal Dureja
• Dr. Pueet Girdhar

Why Choose GetWellGo for Ankle Fracture Dislocation Surgery?

Getting the surgeries at GetWellGo has several obvious benefits, for an ankle fracture dislocation surgery. GetWellGo is famous for its good healthcare services that have involved the doctor’s specialization, modern medical equipment, and an individual approach to patients. Here are the key reasons why GetWellGo can be an ideal choice for ankle fracture surgery:

• Expert Surgeons and Medical Team
• State-of-The-Art Facilities and Technology
• Affordable Treatment Options
• Post-Surgery Rehabilitation and Follow-up Care
• Accommodation and Travel Services
• Multilingual Support
• Visa Assistance

Conclusion

Ankle fracture repair surgery is important intervention for complex ankle fractures where conservative management is not feasible. The ankle fracture repair surgery is suitable where displacement is extensive, fractures are multiple or involving the ankle joint. Positive outcomes are obtained, and the patients have been known to fully recover within the next couple of months. Success depends on type and severity, the skill of the surgeon, patient’s age, and health state, and after-treatment outcomes. 

FAQ

1. What are the advantages of operative management in cases of ankle fracture?

• Restores Function: By correcting improper positioning of bones and promoting bone healing, surgery assists the normal functioning of an ankle.
• Improves Mobility: Often it can be used to treat the fracture itself to avoid long term disability and stiffness and to enable normal movement after recovery has taken place.
• Reduces Long-Term Pain: Operations can help reduce constant pains especially when the fracture affects the stability or angulation of a joint.
• Prevents Complications: Surgery rules out future possibilities of malunion, non-union or arthritis of the fractured limb.

2. What is the success rate of ankle fracture?

• The success rate for surgeries of this type of ankle fracture is usually 90-95%. Minority of patients do suffer from some side effects but the overall prognosis is good because most patients regain normal function within several months. Success depends on factors such as:

Fracture assessment, i.e. frequency, severity and the type of the fracture.
Surgeon 
Medical instructions, care and treatment to be followed after surgery and the exercise that follows.

3. How long does it take to recover after a surgical operation of an ankle fracture?

• Initial Recovery: The first phase of recovery may take about 6-8 weeks; during this time, the joint is kept in its initial position by a cast or splint to provide for bone healing.
• Weight-Bearing Phase: However, in the course of the initial healing period, you may begin to start some form of loaded activity. Weight bearings may be done gradually with most patients usually being allowed full anatomic weight-bearing at 8-12 weeks.
• Full Recovery: While most cases heal well and patient can regain complete use of the limb within 4-6 months and resume playing sports within same period, high impact sports should not be resumed before 12 months post-surgery due to the fracture level type of surgery performed
   

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