Ankle and Foot Surgery
Ankle and foot surgery is an orthopaedic surgical intervention which is done to address a wide range of conditions such as arthritis, tendon tears, and traumatic injuries. This surgery is aimed at restoring functions in the foot and ankle area, alleviating painful symptoms, etc.
Today, we at MyMedTrip.com shall brief you on foot and ankle surgery techniques and procedures including information on foot and ankle surgery cost. We will also give you details on the complications and foot and ankle surgery success rates in India.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Cost of foot and ankle surgery in India | US$ 7,000 (depending on the medical case of the patient) |
| Discount | 10% on the above quoted price (final hospital’s bill) ONLY APPLICABLE ONLY FOR MyMedTrip.com patients Click here for exceptions and terms. |
| Number of days at hospital (Estimated) | 2 days |
| Number of days in India outside hospital (Estimated) | 10 days |
| Treatment’s Success Rate | Above 95% |
| Tests required to help assess the treatment | Preoperative blood tests, ECG, x-ray, MRI, and CT scan |
What is covered in the above mentioned cost for surgery?
This price includes surgery cost, doctor’s fee, standard prescribed tests and all standard expenses required at the hospital.
About the ankle and foot
The foot and ankle comprises of bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Together they form 33 joints in that area. Any functionality defect arising from this is first treated by a foot and ankle specialist, also known as a podiatrist.
At first, all kinds of non-surgical treatment such as physiotherapy and medications is tried. However, in the event of its failure, the podiatrist may suggest surgical intervention. Foot and ankle surgery may also be suggested directly in some specific cases such as a sudden injury.
Conditions of the foot and ankle
The various conditions that would eventually lead to a foot and ankle surgery are:-
- Osteoarthritis– A common degenerative condition that results from the ‘wear and tear’ of bones. Such type of arthritis is a normal phenomenon of an advancing age.
- Rheumatoid arthritis– Another common type of arthritis which results from inflammation of the joints, that affects the bones
- Degenerative diseases– This includes a wide range of bone conditions. It generally means that the bones of a specific area have degenerated.
- Psoriatic arthritis– This is another type of arthritis which occurs when the body’s immune system begins to attack the joints.
- Sudden injury- An injury that was caused by a sudden incident such as an accident.
- Plantar fasciitis– This is the most common cause in conditions of the ankle and foot. In people with plantar fasciitis, the plantar fasciitis of the foot area gets compromised. This causes inflammation and pain in the foot and ankle area.
- Bunion condition– This occurs mostly to women wearing high heels. However, it also occurs in men. In this condition, the first toe of the foot is bent towards the other toes. This results in formation of a ‘bony lump’, which may be painful.
Candidates that require foot and ankle surgery
In most of the conditions of the foot and ankle, the doctor first recommends intensive physiotherapy alongside medications. A person becomes an eligible candidate for a foot and ankle surgery when that person experiences severe symptoms that medications are not able to cure.. Some other things that would make the doctor recommend a foot and ankle surgery are:-
- The patient’s response to non-surgical treatment.
- Excruciating pain.
- Unable to walk despite using certain kinds of foot wear.
Types of foot and ankle surgery
Depending upon the various types of foot and ankle conditions, there are various types of foot and ankle surgery. Some of them are:-
1. Ankle replacement surgery
This is done when the joints of the ankle and foot area have been damaged due to arthritic conditions. In an ankle replacement surgery, the surgeon removes the damaged parts of the joints and replaces it with an artificial prosthesis.
2. Ankle arthroscopy
This is also known as ankle keyhole surgery. It involves the insertion of a small telescope through incisions made by the surgeon. Via this, the surgeon sees the damaged parts of the foot and ankle area and treats it accordingly. This kind of surgery treats a wide range of ankle conditions that have caused ligament and tendon tears.
3. Bunions foot surgery
This surgery corrects the lumps in the joints of the toe. This is a small surgical procedure in which the joint which is known as metatarsals, is corrected by straightening it out.
4. Plantar Fasciitis surgery
In a plantar fasciitis surgery, the plantar fasciitis tissue, which stretches from the toe to the heel of the foot, is corrected. This surgery often detaches the ligaments that connect the plantar fasciitis tissue at the end of the heel. It helps relieve foot pain and makes space for new healthy growth of the ligaments and tissues.
Furthermore, there are various others such as hammertoe foot surgery which corrects the deformities occurring from a bunion foot, Morton’s neuroma foot surgery which corrects the thickening of nerves in the foot area, and foot surgery for tibialis posterior dysfunction in which an inflamed tibialis is treated.
Preparing for foot and ankle surgery
Arthritis is one of the most common causes that leads to surgery in the foot and ankle area. The next common reason for foot and ankle surgery is the bunion condition. We at MyMedTrip.com, shall discuss both these types of surgery.
Ankle replacement surgery
Upon consultation, the severity of arthritis determines if a surgical intervention is required. As mentioned before, it will be required when non-surgical methods have failed to alleviate symptoms. Usually an ankle replacement surgery, in which the damaged joints are replaced by prosthesis, is the most commonly performed surgery.
Tests required before ankle surgery
The patient will be given a set of instructions to follow prior to the days leading up to an ankle replacement surgery. Alongside this, there are tests that the patient will need to get done. Some of them will include:-
- MRI
- CT scan
- X-ray
- Preoperative blood tests.
- ECG
Lifestyle changes before ankle replacement surgery
Prior to the commencement of an ankle replacement surgery, the patient will need to make some lifestyle changes such as:-
- Quit smoking.
- Refrain from alcohol consumption.
- Refrain from blood thinning agents.
- Refrain from certain medications such as painkillers.
- Refrain from food consumption from midnight onwards on the day before surgery.
Ankle replacement surgery
On the day of surgery, an orthopedic surgeon administers the anesthesia. Usually a general anesthesia is opted for. However, in case of complications, a regional anesthesia with a sedative may be given. An IV line will also be attached and the patient’s vital organs will be monitored.
Following this, the surgeon makes the incisions. The surgeon may or may not opt for the arthroscopic technique that uses a surgical instrument to project live images of the area to be operated on.
In the next step, the surgeon will carefully remove the muscles and tissues to access the joint area. After this, the surgeon accesses the damaged parts of the joint and removes it.
After preparing the joint area, in the third step the surgeon places the prosthetics. Since the prosthetics will be designed specifically to the patient’s requirement, the surgeon will test it before closing off the site.
In the fourth step, the surgeon places the muscles and tissues back and closes the surgical site with stitches.
After ankle replacement surgery
After the surgery has been performed, the patient will be taken to the recovery room. The surgery may be done on an outpatient basis but could also be done on an inpatient basis. In this case, the patient will be kept for one day at the hospital.
Recovering from ankle replacement surgery
Upon discharge, the patient will be given a set of instructions to follow while recovering. Physiotherapy becomes an integral part of the recovery period.
Alongside this, the patient will need to take certain antibiotics and other types of medicines to prevent infection and pain. The patient is also required to not stop mobility altogether as this will lead to the formation of blood clots. It takes a total of eight- twelve months to recover completely from this surgery.
Risks of ankle replacement surgery
The risks of an ankle replacement surgery include:-
- Infection
- Blood clots
- Nerve damage
- Excessive bleeding
- Dislocation
- Improper placement of prosthetics
Bunion foot surgery
A bunion foot surgery aims at correcting the functional problems that arise in people with a bunion foot. It is also aimed at alleviating pain, inflammation, and swelling. A bunion foot surgery is the last resort taken when medications and lifestyle changes failed.
Surgery may also be suggested depending on whether the bunion condition is mild, moderate, or severe.
Tests before surgery
As in the case of an ankle replacement surgery, the patient is given a set of tests to Some of them will include:-
- MRI
- CT scan
- X-ray
- Preoperative blood tests.
- ECG
Before the bunion foot surgery surgery
Prior to the commencement of bunion foot surgery, the patient will need to make some lifestyle changes such as:-
- Quit smoking.
- Refrain from alcohol consumption.
- Refrain from blood thinning agents.
- Refrain from certain medications such as painkillers.
- Refrain from food consumption from midnight onwards on the day before surgery.
On the day of surgery
A bunion foot surgery takes place under a regional anesthesia and is done on an outpatient basis. Following this, an IV line is attached to the arms. Then, the skin of the surgical site is cleaned.
In the next step, the surgeon makes the incisions.
In the third step, the surgeon removes the parts of the bunions. The fourth step concludes with stitching up the surgical site.
After bunion foot surgery
After the bunion foot surgery, the patient is taken to the recovery room. The vital organs of the patient are monitored until the effects of anesthesia wears off. This is an outpatient procedure and the patient is discharged on the same day.
Recovery after bunion surgery
Upon discharge, the patient will be given a set of instructions. Some of them will include:-
- Use the special shoes prescribed by the surgeon.
- Keep the foot on an elevated level.
- Keep the wound clean and dry.
- Take regular prescribed medications.
It takes six-eight weeks to completely recover from the surgery. Afterwards, the patient will no longer need to wear those special shoes.
Complications after bunion surgery
The complications of a bunion foot surgery are:-
- Pain at the surgical site.
- Swelling.
- Excessive bleeding.
- Blood clots.
- Infection.
Bunion foot surgery is a small surgical procedure and comes with minimal risks. However, one must consult the doctor in case of very high fever, pain that persists, or swelling in the leg area.
How can MyMedTrip.com help you?
If you have decided to travel to India for Ankle and foot surgery, you may contact us on our Whatsapp number +91 9818237391 or email us at hi@mymedtrip.com The first consultation arranged by us is free of cost! We also provide visa invitation letters and help in facilitating the medical journey to India.
Throughout the journey, you shall be provided with one of our staff members for proper guidance through linguistic barriers, even though most of the hospitals and doctors we feature are well versed with Arabic, Russian,Bengali, and English.
If you have any further queries or questions related to Ankle and foot surgery services in India, please do not hesitate to email us at the aforementioned address.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ankle and foot surgery
What conditions does ankle and foot surgery treat?
Ankle and foot surgery treats a variety of conditions from arthritic conditions to severe traumatic surgery.
Who performs ankle and foot surgery?
An ankle and foot specialist and an orthopedic surgeon performs an ankle and foot surgery.
Do I need an ankle and foot surgery?
You need an ankle and foot surgery when your joint bones of the ankle have worn itself out due to arthritis.There are some other conditions that may require you to have his surgery such as a bunion foot.
What are the various techniques of ankle and foot surgery?
The various techniques for ankle and foot surgery are ankle arthroscopy, ankle replacement surgery, bunion foot surgery, or plantar fasciitis surgery.
What are the various conditions of the foot and ankle?
The various conditions of the foot and ankle are different types of arthritis and bunion foot.
What kind of anesthesia is used for an ankle replacement surgery?
A general anesthesia is used for an ankle replacement surgery.
What is the worst possible risk of an ankle replacement surgery?
The worst risk for an ankle replacement surgery is dislocation. This is when the prosthesis loses its fit in the joint area.
What kind of anesthesia is used for a bunion foot surgery?
A regional anesthesia is used for a bunion foot surgery.
What are the risk factors for a bunion foot surgery?
A bunion foot surgery is a simple surgery and comes with risks such as infection and surgical sound complications.
How long does it take to recover from ankle replacement surgery?
It takes over twelve months to recover completely from an ankle replacement surgery.
How long does it take to recover from a bunion foot surgery?
It takes a total of one and a half-months to recover from a bunion foot surgery.
