Preparation for Surgery

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2018/01/patients-like-being-told-they-need-an-operation-it-doesnt-mean-they-do/

After no pain relief from 9 sessions of physical therapy (and many other non-surgical forms of treatment, including cortisone shots, custom orthotic inserts, night splints, and a walking boot to name just a few), my podiatrist, Dr. Shah, dropped the "S" word - surgery.

(I had an "S" word of my own, containing 4 letters.)

The only surgery I'd had up until this point was a tonsillectomy and a wisdom tooth extraction (all 4 in one day, without anesthesia - a decision I now regret!) I was mixed with emotions at the idea of getting surgery for my PF. I'd heard of other people who'd had success with it, including my aunt, so I thought it could be the one thing that would finally work for me. That was exciting. But every operation, of course, comes with risks, which made me nervous. I was already in enough pain; the thing I feared most was an unsuccessful procedure that would leave me with new complications. Needless to say, I had a million questions.

Dr. Shah recommended the Tenex Health Procedure, which is, according to the company's website:

"[A] minimally invasive technology [which] eliminates chronic tendon pain by precisely targeting and removing damaged tissue...and helps stimulate a renewed healing response." - https://tenexhealth.com/product-overview/

https://www.massdevice.com/tenex-health-wins-510k-tx2-microtip/

Thanks to ultrasound imaging, which makes it easy for doctors to pinpoint damaged tissue, the procedure was very fast; Dr. Shah and her partner, Dr. Wendolowski, had me out of the OR in about an hour. I have read online that for some Tenex Health procedures, patients are sedated but kept awake. I, however, was given enough anesthesia to sleep the entire time. On Tenex Health's website it states that no stitches are required, but this was untrue in my case, as I needed one stitch in my foot that had to be removed a week or so after surgery. (This may depend upon the location and depth of damaged tissue in the body; I'm not sure.) Recovery from the Tenex Health procedure takes 4-6 weeks but will vary patient to patient; I was off crutches and able to walk and drive after two weeks. (I will discuss my recovery in more detail in a later post.)

Here's a video with more information on the Tenex Health procedure for PF:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIgAe9-YzaY

If you've ever had surgery, you know just how much PAPERWORK is involved. I felt like I was doing nothing but filling out forms in the weeks leading up to my surgery: temporary disability forms for my job, medical clearance forms from my general practitioner, forms for my health insurance company, etc. What's worse is that everything is on a deadline; I had to make sure MetLife received the paperwork from my doctor promptly two weeks before the date of surgery, and so on. If you ever have to get surgery - for anything, not just PF - I highly recommend keeping a folder to organize all your paperwork. I bought one of those cheap folders from Staples that is now just about filled to capacity.

https://betanews.com/2016/12/14/paperwork-wasted-time/

One of the first things I had to do before surgery was get "medically cleared" by my regular doctor. This is really silly, considering I'd just seen him for a yearly physical only three months or so before - and, not to mention, my podiatrist (a doctor!) said the condition she was treating me for required this procedure... Nonetheless, it was something I had to do and wasn't a big deal. My doctor gave me a quick physical exam and I was in and out of the office in 15 minutes with my signed form.

I also had to go for pre-op testing at the hospital. This included an EKG, a urine test, a blood test, and a chest X-ray. Like getting medical clearance from my doctor, this was not a problem, and all my tests came back just fine - but the cost of all these appointments started to add up quickly. If anyone has any tricks for getting around any of these steps, by the way, please share!

Fast forward to the night before the operation: like most other procedures, I couldn't eat or drink anything (or even chew a piece of gum) in the twelve hours prior to my appointment. I was told I couldn't have nail polish on my fingernails or toenails, and couldn't apply any hair products the morning of. (Side note: my hair needs some sort of product in it every day, so I went to the hospital early that morning looking like a mess!) Luckily, I did everything I was supposed to and went in to surgery on time.

Here are some tips if you are preparing for PF surgery:

1. Start preparing early. Surgery day comes super fast. Make sure your paperwork is filled out, handed in, etc., on time. Your doctor will likely give you a prescription for a painkiller and antibiotic some time before your procedure, so getting those filled quickly will save you time (and pain) after you leave the hospital. 
2. Do your research and ask lots of questions. Be sure you know what type of surgery you're getting. That might sound silly, but I'd never heard of the Tenex Health Procedure until Dr. Shah mentioned it to me. Your doctor should explain every step of the process with you, as well as provide paperwork to take home and look over. If there's something you're unsure about, ask questions. That's what your doctor is there for.
3. Carefully follow all pre-op instructions. If your doctor tells you to wear your walking boot in the weeks leading up to surgery, be sure to do that. I did. Also, your doctor may adjust any medications you take prior to your surgery, as they could affect your recovery and response to anesthesia. Be sure to tell your doctor about every medication you take. Some things your doctor may tell you not to do - such as having nail polish on your fingers or toes on the day or surgery - may sound frivolous, but there is a reason for these instructions. As long as they are followed, your surgery should go smoothly.

In my next post, I will discuss the first few days of my recovery after surgery. As always, I can be reached on my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/plantarwhat/ or via email (wsmalls12194@gmail.com) to answer any questions.

Thanks for reading,
Becky