Arthrodesis Treatment in India

David Mehta, a 58-year-old accountant and...

David Mehta, a 58-year-old accountant and avid weekend gardener, had suffered from severe osteoarthritis in his right ankle for over a decade. A previous fracture in his 30s had set the stage for the degeneration. His symptoms progressed from occasional stiffness to constant, grinding pain that made standing for more than 15 minutes, walking his dog, or tending to his beloved rose bushes agonizing. Conservative treatments, cortisone injections, custom orthotics, and physical therapy, provided only fleeting relief. His orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Chen, recommended a tibiotalar arthrodesis (ankle fusion), explaining it was the definitive solution to eliminate the bone-on-bone pain and provide a stable, albeit stiff, platform for walking. David underwent the procedure, which involved removing the damaged cartilage and fusing the tibia to the talus with plates and screws. The initial recovery in a non-weight-bearing cast for 8 weeks was challenging, requiring him to rely heavily on his wife. However, after months of gradual rehabilitation, he achieved a solid fusion. While he lost the up-and-down motion of his ankle, the debilitating pain was gone. He could walk for hours without pain, return to gardening with modified techniques, and enjoy outings with his grandchildren. Emotionally, he journeyed from frustration and fear of losing his independence to immense relief and gratitude. He accepted the trade-off of motion for pain-free stability, viewing the surgery not as a limitation but as a reclaiming of his active life.