4 posts shown.
Grace Smith said:I can't say for sure... theoretically, the plan is to clear up the infection first before moving on to any procedures—especially if it isn't an absolute emergency. But hey, rules have exceptions depending on the situation, so I really can't give you a definitive answer.🙂
Thanks 🙂 but my situation is a bit more complicated, so I'll just wait for the specialists to make the call...
Best,
Grace Smith said:Osteomyelitis is basically a bone infection, almost always caused by bacteria. In your case, I'm guessing the infection hit during the initial injury, likely because it was an open fracture.
The issue is that bacteria get deep into the bone, start tearing things up, and create an abscess—basically a pocket of pus.
And you're spot on—without surgery and a heavy round of antibiotics, osteomyelitis can drag on for years without ever clearing up. That leads to constant redness, major mobility issues, and even fever.
It's totally curable, so don't panic🙂, you just need to start treatment ASAP.🙂
Thanks for the info, Jacob Fox6..
Honestly, I'm just relieved it ended this way since amputation was on the table... though I'm terrified that might still happen!
One more thing... they mentioned doing a joint fusion. I'm assuming they can't touch the bone until the infection is completely cleared out??
I’ll just jump in here so I don't clutter things up with a new thread..
I went through a brutal accident involving an open fracture of my right tibia and a dislocated ankle... they had to put an external fixator on me, did two skin grafts, and honestly, it looks pretty gnarly. It’s been almost two years now..
Yesterday, I headed out to Carmel-by-the-Sea to get a second opinion because there were concerns about some inflammation. Turns out, the report says it’s osteomyelitis. 😲
My ankle is totally locked up—mobility is barely 10-15 degrees—and the pain is absolutely insane! About ten days ago, something started leaking from the graft site. Now the doctors are saying the only real option left might be a joint fusion (probably involving another external fixator). 😢
I’ve been digging around online regarding osteomyelitis, but what does that actually mean for someone in my shoes? Has anyone dealt with anything similar? Can this stuff actually be cleared up with antibiotics, or am I looking at more surgery?
Apparently, this kind of thing only happens out in Carmel-by-the-Sea... Dr. Smith takes a piece of healthy cartilage, grows a new batch in a lab over about a month, and then grafts it back onto the damaged spot. The surgery takes roughly an hour and a half, and you’re looking at a two-month recovery period.
Has anyone here actually gone through this? Does Blue Cross cover the costs, or am I footing the whole bill? And how long is the waiting list for the procedure?