Hey I did fully externals 8 months ago with Dr. Giotikas. My X-rays are still not very good. I only have 3 months left until university would start. I can't imagine that my bones will consolidate until then because it already takes so much time for little change. I haven't talked to my Dr. yet about the new X-rays.
I had decided for fully externals because the risk of permanent knee pain from LON/LATN sounded too bad.
So now I might have to decide wether to keep the externals until the end and I have no idea how many months more it could take. Who knows maybe even half a year more? What if it never fully consolidates?
Or to change to LATN:
- Another surgery.
- Another 6.000€.
- Risk of permanent knee pain (3%?)
- Maybe antibiotics during surgery is needed again which is risky by itself as antibiotics can cause germ diseases like Clostridium Difficile (I once got that because of antibiotics from the first surgery)
Plus would be:
-faster recovery
-walking would be possible earlier
I don't want to attend university with frames, I can delay my admission for another year. But that would mean that I basically loose another year of my life, because with frames on I can't/don't want to participate much in activities outside my home.
What would you do in my position?
QuoteI only post the X-rays where I see some progress. Everything else (Especially the sideways views of the tibia look almost the same as last time) On the left you see the X-ray of 03.05.19, on the right you see the X-ray of today.
Left Fibula: https://i.imgur.com/gNcL9TJ.jpg
Left Front: https://i.imgur.com/7EYFFmv.jpg
Right Front: https://i.imgur.com/4mv3SPV.jpg
I did fully externals, change to LATN after 8 months?
To do external only is a great mistake. If I were you I would have done Latn so many months ago. Ask your doctor to see how much time do you need to get off of the fixators.
I wouldn't call it a mistake per se, but it is true, that pure external relies a lot on your own biology (and the stability of the frame, what is considered to be spot on with the proper technique). There are many patients who got off the frame after 5 cm around 8-9 months, some even earlier, so if it is a good option depends on many factors.
Do you eat enough calories and protein after your infection? What did your doc say about your consolidation? Do you have any other condition (type 2 diabetes, smoking etc...). Did you talk to other patients, what did they do differently in details? Maybe you should try to accelerate the process in the next month, see, what happens, but talk to your doc first.
Quote from: KrP1 on June 27, 2019, 04:03:37 PMTo do external only is a great mistake. If I were you I would have done Latn so many months ago. Ask your doctor to see how much time do you need to get off of the fixators.
Yes, I wish I had done it 4 month ago. The best would have been LON in the first place. But you never know your own biology. It was a try. I'll ask him tomorrow. But I don't think that at this stage any doctor can really tell how long it will take.
Quote from: Yannick on June 27, 2019, 04:22:10 PMI wouldn't call it a mistake per se, but it is true, that pure external relies a lot on your own biology (and the stability of the frame, what is considered to be spot on with the proper technique). There are many patients who got off the frame after 5 cm around 8-9 months, some even earlier, so if it is a good option depends on many factors.
Do you eat enough calories and protein after your infection? What did your doc say about your consolidation? Do you have any other condition (type 2 diabetes, smoking etc...). Did you talk to other patients, what did they do differently in details? Maybe you should try to accelerate the process in the next month, see, what happens, but talk to your doc first.
I guess people can try fully externals. But the first 4 months will tell wether your bone growth is slow or fast. And then you should decide to do either LON or LATN soon. Because while zakikas bone growth was already pretty good in the first months, mine was just normal. My frames are very stable I think because I have only had 2 infections so far that needed antibiotics. And that allegedly has sth to do with the stability of the frames... I will talk to my doc tomorrow. Maybe certain vitamins are missing. My biology probably does play a huge part. Even though I'm more from the middle east, I might have some of those typical Asian genes from far back of my family. I have no diabetes nor am I a smoker.
Quote from: Yannick on June 27, 2019, 04:22:10 PM
Do you eat enough calories and protein after your infection?
Well.. I gained a few kilograms after my time in Athens for sure and I drink a protein shake every day.
Keep it up, and try to eat quality food, vitamins as much as possible!
Quote from: Great321 on June 27, 2019, 03:58:50 PMHey I did fully externals 8 months ago with Dr. Giotikas. My X-rays are still not very good. I only have 3 months left until university would start. I can't imagine that my bones will consolidate until then because it already takes so much time for little change. I haven't talked to my Dr. yet about the new X-rays.
I had decided for fully externals because the risk of permanent knee pain from LON/LATN sounded too bad.
So now I might have to decide wether to keep the externals until the end and I have no idea how many months more it could take. Who knows maybe even half a year more? What if it never fully consolidates?
Or to change to LATN:
- Another surgery.
- Another 6.000€.
- Risk of permanent knee pain (3%?)
- Maybe antibiotics during surgery is needed again which is risky by itself as antibiotics can cause germ diseases like Clostridium Difficile (I once got that because of antibiotics from the first surgery)
Plus would be:
-faster recovery
-walking would be possible earlier
I don't want to attend university with frames, I can delay my admission for another year. But that would mean that I basically loose another year of my life, because with frames on I can't/don't want to participate much in activities outside my home.
What would you do in my position?
If your bones aren’t consolidated it is a reflection of your nutrition or sleep deficiency. Some people’s body naturally produce more, you probably have a calcium or vitamin d deficiency stacked with you not eating the right vitamins. Do you go out at all? You realize exposing skin to the sun is how your body produces a lot of it’s vitamin D. Drink milk, take calcium and Vit-D supplements, sleep good and your bones should consolidate, a few months is plenty of time
Don’t do nailing; you’re already at the end why would you drill through your knees and bones when you’re already at the end thats pure stupidity. And on top of that you’re risking knee pain and paying 6k euros
Quote from: Activatedx on June 27, 2019, 07:30:54 PM
If your bones aren’t consolidated it is a reflection of your nutrition or sleep deficiency. Some people’s body naturally produce more, you probably have a calcium or vitamin d deficiency stacked with you not eating the right vitamins. Do you go out at all? You realize exposing skin to the sun is how your body produces a lot of it’s vitamin D. Drink milk, take calcium and Vit-D supplements, sleep good and your bones should consolidate, a few months is plenty of time
Don’t do nailing; you’re already at the end why would you drill through your knees and bones when you’re already at the end thats pure stupidity. And on top of that you’re risking knee pain and paying 6k euros
I do take calcium and vitamin D daily. I do go outside, maybe not enough. But in the last months not much has changed :/ And I only have 3 more months. One year off was fine. Another year would be a waste of my lifetime. I want to study as soon as possible. My sleep is fine.
I rather feel like I'm just half way through. Look at my X-rays of the beginning of May. Not much has changed.
Quote from: Great321 on June 27, 2019, 08:16:55 PMI do take calcium and vitamin D daily. I do go outside, maybe not enough. But in the last months not much has changed :/ And I only have 3 more months. One year off was fine. Another year would be a waste of my lifetime. I want to study as soon as possible. My sleep is fine.
I rather feel like I'm just half way through. Look at my X-rays of the beginning of May. Not much has changed.
I’m sure there are ways to consolidate quicker see an orthopedist that’s local, just personal advice don’t drill into your knees and bones... you’re long after post op, just wear baggy sweatpants to university, say you had bowed legs or something if someone sees your tsf frames
Look at this image: https://i.imgur.com/tIoioL4.png
It's a scary thought to do LATN or LON.
I have just realized that I can also start University in April 2020 instead of October. 9 months from now must be enough I hope to consolidate...
I guess I will wait.
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