Repair Work

Once I got to the hospital the real fun began. The ER nurses came in with their scissors and immediately cut off my favorite pair of hiking pants! Next came my right shoe and then my right sock. The poor guy who was charged with cutting my pants off struggled a bit which is what happens when to try to cut material that is designed to not rip or tear. I embarrassed him a bit by suggesting he re-enroll in Kindergarten and take a refresher course on scissors and cutting. That got a big laugh and sort of established my reputation on the floor.

After they had stripped me I was wheeled down to X-ray where the real pain began. Having to rotate a leg that is broken is no fun at all. I may have even said a coulpe of bad words, but I am not sure.

It did not take long for the bad news to come back. Broken tibia and three breaks in the ankle. Recommended repair was to insert a titanium rod down through the marrow canal of the tibia and then throught the use of screws and a plate my ankle would be repaired. Following is the details which you may or may not want to read.

They made a four inch incision along the lateral aspect of the patella tendon. they then drilled a hole in the top of the anterolateral tibial plateau and extended it down to the proximal tibial metaphysis. They then inserted an 11x375 mm Synthes titantium rod through the opening. Inserted is probably a polite word...they hammered the thing down my leg. they then screwed the rod in and moved to the ankle.

They made a six inch incision over the lateral fibular region. They disovered 4-5 bone fragments that they replaced and anchored with a flexible titantium plate held down with ten screws. After a couple of other random screws were inserted, they sewed me up, put a cast on me and sent me to my room.

Next up is the hospital stay.