Yes. Smoking will increase the risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications, including blood clots, pulmonary embolism, and infection. Smoking will compromise bone healing and soft tissue healing.
Yes. Diabetes increases the risk of blood clots, pulmonary embolism, infection, bone, and soft tissue complications. Hemoglobin A1c levels directly correlate with the complication rate: the higher the HbA1c, the higher the risk of postoperative complications. Ideally, your HbA1c should be under 7.5%.
Unfortunately, yes. Our anesthesiologists will often provide a long-acting nerve block and a pain pump to go home with that will significantly help with the pain. The pain is typically the most intense during the first 3-4 days after surgery.
Icing the surgical site will help very much. If interested, we can provide a cold machine that will be incorporated into your postoperative splint.
Leg elevation (toes above the nose) will also help with pain, especially in the first 2 postoperative weeks.
Yes. Expect the foot and ankle swelling to last up to 6-12 months after surgery.
The foot is part of the body that takes the longest to heal. The first 6 weeks will be the toughest. Depending on the type of surgery, most patients should expect to be back to normal 6 to 12 months after the procedure.
Not necessarily. This depends on the type of surgery performed.
