Foot reconstruction

[bluejay23]

Hi,
I am hoping some kind soul will be able to help me with this one, I have copied below a diagnosis and possible solution given to us by a doctor for my Fathers problem. What I would like to know is if anyone has had..or knows anyone who has had a similar procedure and what the results were, or if anyone has any information on the success rates for this type of operation?

I would be grateful for any information and thank you in advance.

Regards,
Stuart
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Diagnosis: bilateral rheumatoid feet: Propose right foot rheumatoid reconstruction. Dad has bilateral tib-post insufficiencies with obvious “too many toes sign”. He has a severe hallux valgus deformity which is not correctable. He has a dislocation of his 2nd 3rd and 4th MTPJs with an extremely prominent and painful 3rd metatarsal head. He has callosities and pressure areas over the PIPJs.



Propose realignment of his big toe with a fusion of the 1st MTPJ. We would then perform an excision of his lateral 4 metatarsal heads and fuse the lateral 4 PIPJs.
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[MNmom]

I am not familiar with it but wanted to wish him all the best! My feet are very problematic (my right foot is VERY painful lately). Your dad sounds like he has been suffering for a long time - I hope this surgery will really help him!

[loneil]

I am not familiar with that either. Golly, I wish him all the best with his surgery. Keep us posted on how he does.

[julie]

Hello just want to wish your father good luck.
I am just waiting for have an op and its called the Stainsby procedure i am hoping it's succesful as i will be having the foot done as well

[julie]

I meant to say i am having the other foot done as well

[kmoneil]

How is you're father doing?

[uplana]

I haven't heard it before and not familiar with this type of treatment either. I wish he will get well soon with this surgery. Please post result of this treatment in near future about this new ray of hope for RA patients.

[savvyeyty]

Hi,
I am hoping some kind soul will be able to help me with this one, I have copied below a diagnosis and possible solution given to us by a doctor for my Fathers problem. What I would like to know is if anyone has had..or knows anyone who has had a similar procedure and what the results were, or if anyone has any information on the success rates for this type of operation?

I would be grateful for any information and thank you in advance.

Regards,
Stuart
************************************************** ********
Diagnosis: bilateral rheumatoid feet: Propose right foot rheumatoid reconstruction. Dad has bilateral tib-post insufficiencies with obvious “too many toes sign”. He has a severe hallux valgus deformity which is not correctable. He has a dislocation of his 2nd 3rd and 4th MTPJs with an extremely prominent and painful 3rd metatarsal head. He has callosities and pressure areas over the PIPJs.



Propose realignment of his big toe with a fusion of the 1st MTPJ. We would then perform an excision of his lateral 4 metatarsal heads and fuse the lateral 4 PIPJs.
************************************************** ********

Why? Are you having second thoughts with this procedure?

[mamabear]

I think they will try to correct the dislocations on his toes to relieve some pain. That would be some comfort to your dad.

[malou]

i hope that your dad is fine and fully recovered if ever he undergo such procedure..nope never experienced it yet or anyone in the family..

[faith]

hi bluejay..nope never heard of anyone of my family and friends who got diagonsed on that kind of illness..not really sure on the percentage rate..but i guess trusting (doctor)and praying to God will help.:)

[naturelover]

It is been long time since you post this thread. But, what i want to say his hope your dad recovered fully from his foot problem. But, my present worry is my wife who is in middle 20's is complaining of much pain at the back foot. After massaging she feels comfortable and complaining of this pain very often. Not yet consulted any doctor as she feels its recurring phenomenon but not worrisome. I am really worried.

[naturelover]

Now she is consulting her doctor particularly for the foot pain and she is been advised to continue with NSAIDs. For quite some time, she is complaining that after taking the NSAIDs, she is getting relieved of the pain. The pain which used to be occuring once in three days or more, now she is feeling that very often and want to take rest. Apart from consultation, any other ideas. pl come forth and suggest.

[crimson]

Wishing the best of luck to your father and I hope the surgery does well to your father and me and my wife would be praying for him.

[kageyd]

Bluejay, I do not know this procedure but I do know a lot about choosing a surgeon for a difficult operation (I had to have an ablation of tissue within the heart to cure an illness called atrial fibrillation).

While I was learning about my disease, I had consultations with experts in six hospitals, two in San Francisco, three in New York, and one at the Cleveland Clinic. I ultimately chose a person who has an international reputation and was spoken of often with awe, and always with great respect, by the other experts I consulted. Along the way (this was about a two year selection process) I was active on a forum much larger than this one, where I learned from others the following:

1. Find out how many times the surgeon has done the proposed procedure. If the number is not in three digits, you probably should look elsewhere. Try to contact past patients (not always easy, but if he's done a lot of work, you should be able to find someone to speak highly of him). (Google to distraction....)

2. Talk (even if by phone consultation) to rheumatologists you know to be excellent and ditto to orthopedic surgeons. Ask them what they know about the procedure and the names of surgeons, and hospitals, they would go to if it were their problem

3. Be alert to "horror stories," i.e., people who have had the surgery you are considering, and have had bad results. That does happen, and sometimes even the very, very best surgeons do not succeed - but if a name comes up more than once as a surgeon who had a bad outcome, do not go there!

I have no knowledge of the surgery you are contemplating, but I do know that the downsides of failed surgery can be very bad, so you want to be sure going in that you have explored every avenue of knowledge possible, that you have set the probabilities in your father's favor.

All my best to you, my deepest empathy for the choice you are helping your father make. Keep us posted here on your progress, and certainly let us know the outcome. Kageyd

(I am 69, newly diagnosed, and very much in the RA learning stage).

Kageyd