OT: Recent Fibula Repair....Nerve Block....A procedure new to me

[Ralph]

Recently (on a bike ride trying to get thru a crowded school zone) got taken out by a small kid on a bike....and fractured my Fibula near my ankle.

My Foot and Ankle Doc (also a surgeon) said it would heal on it's own in 6-8 weeks....or he could repair it with a small plate and screws and get me back on my feet in a couple weeks. Maybe get me back on my bike a month sooner than just laying around, losing fitness. That sounded good to me.

So in the outpatient surgery area....the Anesthesiologist came in and asked if I wanted a nerve block...that my surgeon had suggested he do that. After he explained to me what that was...I said "sure". The purpose of this post is that procedure was news to this 76 year old.

So....Anesthesiologist came in with this portable Ultra sound machine to locate the nerve just below the knee (I think). Said something about sticking a needle in there and locating nerve with the ultra sound machine....sounded to me like that would hurt.....but too late to change my mind. They put a mask over my nose making me breath.....and next thing I know I'm being wheeled down the hall toward the operating room, somehow missing the excitement of the nerve block needle....few seconds later....I'm out (again). Woke up....went home....no pain in ankle for 25 hours from the block. No pain really from the surgery either. This was done last Thursday. I walked some yesterday (Tuesday), and today walked all around the house....very carefully...and slowly (edited). Almost no pain from the surgery. That nerve block keep pain away for first 25 hours....time for wound to heal some.

Ain't modern medicine wonderful. A shout out to any Anesthesiologists on here. You guys/gals are the greatest. (my surgeon pretty special also) Hope I described it correctly.

[cderalow]

I had a similar block done when they repaired my collarbone 9 years ago. It’s more or less equivalent to an epidural used for pregnant women during delivery etc.

Careful with the time frame for healing. Just because it feels good to walk on now, don’t overdo it too early. The first few weeks of healing are super important for bones.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FlashUNC]

Had a nerve block for my elbow for about 48 hours post surgery. Nurses and anestho walked The Boss through taking it out at home. Pulled a good 18 inch catheter out of my neck. Didn't warn her about that part.

But yeah, that thing worked.

[gasman]

So....Anesthesiologist came in with this portable Ultra sound machine to locate the nerve just below the knee (I think). Said something about sticking a needle in there and locating nerve with the ultra sound machine....sounded to me like that would hurt.....but too late to change my mind. They put a mask over my nose making me breath.....and next thing I know I'm being wheeled down the hall toward the operating room, somehow missing the excitement of the nerve block needle....few seconds later....I'm out. Woke up....went home....no pain in ankle for 25 hours from the block. No pain really from the surgery either. This was done last Thursday. I walked some yesterday (Tuesday), and today walked all around the house....very carefully...and slowly (edited). Almost no pain from the surgery. That nerve block keep pain away for first 25 hours....time for wound to heal some.

Ain't modern medicine wonderful. A shout out to any Anesthesiologists on here. You guys/gals are the greatest. (my surgeon pretty special also) Hope I described it correctly.


I'm glad it worked so well for you Ralph. Modern medicine is sometimes pretty amazing. During my training as an Anesthesiologist in the mid-80's our blocks didn't always work well and we didn't do many. Ultrasound has made our block success rate just short of 100%. I work 3 days/week in an outpatient orthopedic surgery center and after placing just over 1,600 ultrasound guided nerve blocks in the last decade I still love it because I know how painful many of these procedures were back in the day.

So good to hear another success story-heal up well Ralph !!!

[wc1934]

Wishing you a speedy recovery!!!

[rnhood]

I broke my fibula about 1" above the ankle joint the first time I tried a fast stop while ice skating and playing, or learning to play hockey. My doc told me the same thing, and I chose a cast with no surgery. I never really had any pain but, early walking on it cause some lower foot swelling and after a couple days they had to cut the cast off and remake it. I really hated the cast and after 4 weeks, they changed it to an air cast. I had some minor aching when I walked a lot but after another couple weeks I really wasn't having any issues. The air cast came off and I was in full gear. The fibula is not a big bone, nor a big deal. More of a nuisance than anything, if it breaks cleanly.

[PacNW2Ford]

Had a nerve block for surgery on my lower arm. The next day I almost knocked myself out when the "dead" arm and cast came swinging around as I rolled over.

[sitzmark]

Missed my shot at a block a number of years ago. Ripped my achilles and was given the bums rush to surgery after seeing ortho -- on table 2nd morning. Surg told me I was going under. Anesthesiologist came in and said he could block me and keep me awake. I said block was fine with me - either was good, just get 'er done.

... big argument in hallway - like yelling - between surgeon and gas doc. Never found out why. Made all staff kinda uncomfortable. Wheeled to op room without block and put under. Next stop rehab. :cool:

[gasman]

Missed my shot at a block a number of years ago. Ripped my achilles and was given the bums rush to surgery after seeing ortho -- on table 2nd morning. Surg told me I was going under. Anesthesiologist came in and said he could block me and keep me awake. I said block was fine with me - either was good, just get 'er done.

... big argument in hallway - like yelling - between surgeon and gas doc. Never found out why. Made all staff kinda uncomfortable. Wheeled to op room without block and put under. Next stop rehab. :cool:

Some surgeons believe that it takes too long to do a block and they don’t want to be delayed. So they argue without thought of good patient care but I didn’t say that out loud.
Most surgeons I’ve worked with over the years like the patient to have a block and this is especially true nowadays.
Hope you’re recovery wasn’t too bad. The pain is always the worst the first 24 hours.

[sitzmark]

Some surgeons believe that it takes too long to do a block and they don’t want to be delayed. So they argue without thought of good patient care but I didn’t say that out loud.
Most surgeons I’ve worked with over the years like the patient to have a block and this is especially true nowadays.
Hope you’re recovery wasn’t too bad. The pain is always the worst the first 24 hours.

Ah! It wasn't too bad. Ortho was "team doc" for a number of local athletes. Why I selected him, but schedule was very tight. Now I understand. Always felt kinda guilty for causing the argument. I was determined not to use the post-surg pain meds and did hold out, but there were a few days when .... yowza.

Very pleased with whole process actually. Surgery last day of July and was skiing (sort of - one legged basically) by mid Nov. You guys do great work!! :hello:

[gasman]

Ah! It wasn't too bad. Ortho was "team doc" for a number of local athletes. Why I selected him, but schedule was very tight. Now I understand. Always felt kinda guilty for causing the argument. I was determined not to use the post-surg pain meds and did hold out, but there were a few days when .... yowza.

Very pleased with whole process actually. Surgery last day of July and was skiing (sort of - one legged basically) by mid Nov. You guys do great work!! :hello:

You didn’t cause the argument. Not at all .

We take care of a lot of U of Oregon and Oregon State athletes and the surgeons are more reluctant to have us block these young men and women because of the 1:1,000 chance of a prolonged block. But that’s unusual.

No pain meds ? No block ? You are one tough hombre sir.

[sitzmark]

Not a fan of pain meds. Used them post-op after wisdom tooth removal in my youth - did not like the loopy sensations that would come and go, even after I stopped taking them. Fortunately the situations for which they are prescribed have been very few and I've managed to stick those out. Very easy to rely on the drugs too much and have a bigger problem.

[Mr. Pink]

This sounds a little risky. Well, all procedures have risk, and never forget that, no matter what the surgeon says. (Porsches are expensive) I have had issues with my leg since a meniscus repair, and my physiatrist seems to have it narrowed down to nerve blockage. Probably in the lower back, originally, but the surgery somehow exasperated it. There is atrophy in the leg, which occurs when nerves are messed with, either naturally or through surgery.

I am not a total believer in aint modern medical science grand. Sure, sure, I'm probably alive and healthy and racking up the miles at my age because of it, but, I don't swallow it whole anymore. Like those commercials on TV for instant back surgery, "a one inch incision" and you're off playing touch football with the kids. Um, no. Or dental implants and new teeth in one visit. Really? Let's not even mention, "take this pill, it will be fine".

[shovelhd]

I've had a block for my last two surgeries. I don't like them. Coming off of them is very painful. I'd rather start with the narcotics for a day or two and take myself off of them at my own pace. But that's just me. Good luck with your surgery.

[biker72]

I've never had a nerve block and hope I never have to endure what Ralph is going through.
Ralph, hopefully you'll have a quick recovery and be back on the bike very soon.

[GScot]

Had it with 4 out of 5 surgeries on my elbow/forearm in 2015. The time they didn't do it was due to a time crunch on getting into surgery. They apparently used a lot more anesthesia that one time as I was sick from that for a while. When they did use a block the arm would come back to life in 12-18 hours. Only had extreme pain after the first surgery when they put a new head on the radius and cleaned all of the bone debris out of the joint. Other surgeries were due to the drug-resistant infection that occurred after the first surgery.

Edited to add. Good luck with your recovery. Sounds like the surgery went well and hopefully you won't need much or any rehab.

[seanile]

Had a nerve block for surgery on my lower arm. The next day I almost knocked myself out when the "dead" arm and cast came swinging around as I rolled over.

yepppp. i had one for my shoulder surgery. that arm could do whatever the hell it wanted and i would be none the wiser. super trippy feeling high fiving your own hand and not feeling it.
https://i.imgur.com/YZul50L.jpg