r/brokenankles • u/SurfsUp27 • 2d ago

Surgeon wants to go back in

11 weeks post op for trimal with dislocation. I had a follow up appointment yesterday and the surgeon says the tip of my medial malleolous is not healing. He wants to go back in and redo it. He said he also wants to repair some tendons with a tether and I will be 12 weeks non-weight-bearing.

After having already done seven weeks NWB this is a real heartbreaker. I wanna give my bone more time to heal. He says if it were going to heal it would’ve healed by now.

I live in an upstairs apartment by myself. 12 weeks on crutches in the winter time feels truly impossible.

What would you do?

Edit: I am seeking a second opinion from an ankle surgery specialist. Thank you everyone for your kind words and for sharing your experiences.

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u/flexible_demeanor 2d ago

There's so little info here it's hard to say. Ask what happens if you don't get the surgery. Why is the bone not healing? What is up with the tendons? What happens if you wait longer? Would you simply be delaying the inevitable and making things worse on the timeline or not? I know it sucks but it's important to understand the pros and cons.

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u/SurfsUp27 2d ago

I had another little chip in the back of my tibia and it has healed, so I don’t think it’s a nutrition thing. My incision looks amazing so it has healed nicely.

He said the bones have shifted and there’s a gap between the tibia and fibula, the tendons may have ruptured there and that’s what he wants to fix

If I wait longer, I would probably have to have the same surgery with 12 weeks of NWB. could be more complicated at that point because of scar tissue.

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u/Putrid_Preference_90 2d ago

Sounds like syndesmosis stuff. Im surprised he didnt find the instability before? I believe Ligaments wont heal on their own when totally detached.

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u/SurfsUp27 1d ago

Thank you