This surgery
involves the application of an external fixator
placed into one of the lower limbs of your body.
When
you have your surgery, you will be put under analgesia and feel no pain and
when you wake up there will be a lot of people there to help you along the way.
Your pain control will be managed by a special team of pain
specialists. You will have patient controlled analgesia (PCA) where you will be
able to adjust your own dose of pain medicine. This is delivered either via an
intravenous or epidural catheter. Once
taken off (PCA) you will be given oral pain medication to control your pain.
You will be seen in the hospital by a variety of health care
professionals Your Orthopaedic doctor and residents,
physician’s assistant, medical doctor, nurses, therapists, and a social worker
for discharge planning. You will start your training with a physical therapist
and learn how to walk and exercise with the fixator.
It is important that you put weight on the operated leg (the fixator / frame will protect and support your leg).
You will start your training with a physical therapist and learn
how to walk and exercise with the fixator. It is
important that you put weight on the operated leg (the fixator
/ frame will protect and support your leg).
Lengthening
/ Adjustments, Pin Care and Physical Therapy:
Begins days after surgery and continues until the length or full
correction is achieved.
One of the team members will teach you how to do adjustments of
the fixator and give you a schedule.
Fixator adjustments are typically performed 3-4 times
per day All of your dressings will be removed and pin care will be started; you
will be taught a pin care routine by the nursing staff:
ü
Clean pin sites with a mixture of sterile saline and hydrogen
peroxide and dip a sterile cotton tipped applicator into the mixture.
ü
Using sterile cotton tipped applicator; you will clean around and
away from the skin of each pin. Always when cleaning your pins move away from
the skin. Doing other wise could cause a pin sire infection.
ü
Use a new cotton tip for each pin site; never use the same cotton
tip for more then one pin site as this could cause a pin site infection.
ü
Clean each pin site routinely 3 – 4 times per day
ü
Wrap white gauze bandage around pin sites. White rolls of gauze
bandage are readily available at most drugstores.
ü
You will be given prescriptions for pain medications, antibiotics
and for physical therapy. You will get a 10 day supply or oral antibiotic to
prevent pin infections.
ü
You can recognize a pin infection by increased pain, redness,
drainage of pus, fever, or chills. If you develop a pin infection. Call your
physician as soon as possible.
ü
Eat a well balanced diet including protein and calcium to
encourage bone growth.
A Physical Therapist will come to see you and help as well.
ü
Physical therapy sessions:
The most important of this task for you during this phase is to follow the schedule
and do the exercises your Physical Therapist show you,
this will help prevent joints from getting stiff. While you may need to elevate
the leg to prevent swelling, walking and weight-bearing as tolerated is
encouraged as prescribed by your doctor.
ü
Physical therapy will help maintain mobility and prevent stiffness
of the knee or ankle is done 3 times per week. Physical therapy can be done at
a local facility or you may find a physical therapist that makes house calls.
Exercises should be done at home as your Physical Therapist prescribes.
You will be followed routinely by the Orthopaedic
surgeon that did your fixator surgery and he or she
will do follow up X-rays and watch your care. Please let all of your team know
if you are in pain as they are there to help you through this process.
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This web page was updated last on 2/22/07
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