Ankle surgery is often viewed as the final treatment solution for injuries that haven’t healed correctly with conservative care. With that said, simply hopping up on the operating table and letting the surgeon do their thing isn’t going to give your foot the best chance at a full recovery. And as you’ll find out in this blog, if you aren’t serious about ankle surgery and your recovery, things can get pricey pretty quickly.
The Cost Of Surgery Gone Wrong
A recent study from Saint Paul’s Hospital at the University of British Columbia decided to take a closer look at the costs associated with a failed foot surgery. More specifically, the costs incurred by the patient after a non-union following ankle fusion corrective surgery. For the study, they looked at a small group of 24 patients undergoing tibiotalar fusion. Researchers tracked billing codes, operation length, period of hospitalization and outpatient fees after revision in order to see how a failed operation could financially impact a patient.
Researchers found that a non-union of an ankle during a fusion procedure resulted in additional costs of:
- $1,061 for imaging
- $627 for pre-revision consultations
- $3,026 for revisional surgery
- $3,431 for revision hospital stay
- $1,754 for post-revision follow-up
In all, the total mean average for hospital stay after a failed ankle fusion came to $9,683, equivalent to nine nights of acute inpatient stays.
Sometimes the success of the ankle fusion is even out of the doctor’s hands, but many times there are controllable factors that can increase your likelihood of having a successful fusion. Besides finding a surgeon like Dr. Silverman who has extensive experience performing ankle fusions and other intricate foot operations, you’ll also want to keep these factors in mind, as they can sometimes be the difference between a successful and failed surgery:
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Get regular exercise
- Follow your post-op guidelines
- Do all of your physical therapy exercises
- Avoid too much physical activity shortly after surgery
- Live a healthy lifestyle, as arthritis onset can make fusion surgery less successful
- Bring up any concerns you have with your surgeon prior to surgery
If you keep these tips in mind and really take the time to find a surgeon that you have faith in, we’re confident you’ll be doing everything you can to prevent failed surgeries and additional costs.