Posted by alexandra_k on June 13, 2009, at 22:07:22
Since a big expense seems to be the material they 'print' them on (not sure whether that is the correct term) the hospital keeps those. They gave them to me on CD to give to my GP, though. Amazing. Followed the instructions to download OsiriX (freeware) so I could have a look. Weber C fracture of left leg where looks like they did some kind of fusion - though a little hard for me to tell. And definately a subtalar / calcaneus fusion of right ankle with a single screw. Still have the plate and all the screws in my left leg. Not sure whether they will want to take out a plate. Not sure whether they will want to take out the fusion screws... Not sure how fused the bones ended up. Trying to teach myself but I get the impression reading x-rays (getting a sense of normal vs abnormal variation) is a tricky thing that I can't master in several hours with only internet resources. Sigh.
They might be able to stretch tendons so that my toes aren't so curled, though. Maybe... 4 weeks in a walking cast (per leg). Not sure... They did it in Ireland and no relapse 6 months post-op. But... That is only 6 month follow up so who knows... I dunno... Might be my imagination but I think I can feel how the screws are limiting my movement now that I understand where they are. Might be my imagination. Hard to know how much movement vs pain I might have were they to be removed... Other people... Do seem to have more movement than me... What is really very hard for me to tell is how the rest of my feet are doing (metatarsals etc). I remember them saying that they were all pretty smashed up really. I can't tell from the x-rays how much cartilage they removed / how damaged the cartilage was not only in the ankle bones but in the rest of the feet. Might be my imagination that the bone isn't quite as dense there... I so wish I could get hold of the originals that they took pre and post op... I wonder... If they could / would email them to me or my GP since they seem to have them stored on computer now...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:900875
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20090604/msgs/900875.html