I went into Pilgrim hospital January 2013 and had a routine ankle fusion operation for severe arthritis. The surgeon explained the details of the operation and I had to sign the form. The surgeon said they were going to put a 20cm nail up through my heel into my tibia and some locking screws through the side of my leg into the nail. This was the usual and common way of making a strong solid internal fixation. I also had a family member who had the same operation in Lincoln hospital and he is now totally out of pain and the operation is a success.
When I came out of surgery after having an epidermal anestethic I had organ failure problems and after two days over the weekend at Boston, I was rushed off to Leicester Renal unit and finished up having dialysis.
I was in hospital approx. 3 weeks and got over my organ failure and went home to Lincoln. I followed up my hospital visits to Boston with my leg in a cast and eventually was able to use a medical boot to be mobile. On my visit to see the surgeon in November 2013, I was told from looking at the x-rays the operation had failed, as the plate that had been put in my leg was broken and I had developed a valgus deformity. I was in a great deal of pain from having the operation and the ankle was constantly swollen. I never received an explanation from the surgeon why they did the operation with the plate and not the nail as explained and I signed the forms for, but clearly, I feel this was the reason the operation failed. Lincolnshire hospitals, including Boston were put into special measures a short while after my operation and came out of special measures in spring 2015.
I had a corrective operation done in March 2015, with the same surgeon and by using the Nail method and up to now it looks as though it could be successful.
I have had 2 years not necessary taken out of my life and feel had the surgery been done as agreed at the point of my first operation, I would not have and still do suffered as much horrific pain in my life. I must have cost the National Health a tremendous amount of time and money, which could have been avoided.
I received excellent care and attention on my 2nd operation and could not fault the whole process the 2nd time round.
"ankle fusion operation that 1st one failed and 2nd operation done in March 2015"
About: Pilgrim Hospital / Trauma and orthopaedics Pilgrim Hospital Trauma and orthopaedics PE21 9QS
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