When it comes to providing our patients with the best care, it involves an intricate process of having the right technology, knowing the right care plan and ensuring everyone is on board from start to finish. With the surgical aspect of care, there are not a lot of modifiable factors, in that once a diagnosis and treatment plan has been laid out, we know what to expect from surgery and recovery. However, one modifiable aspect is the time at which a person undergoes surgery.
When a person has surgery plays a significant role in their recovery post-op. Operate too soon and swelling from injury can lead to complications, and wait too long and you can leave major issues unaddressed and complicate your long-term health. But how exactly do you know when is the right time to operate?
According to a new study, we can determine when is an ideal time to operate by using ultrasound to examine injury-site swelling in the foot and ankle. The study, which was published in Foot & Ankle International, found that swelling, not a specific number of hours or days following injury, was the most important factor in determining a person’s likelihood for complications following an operation to address an ankle fracture. Researchers found that once heel swelling had decreased to a certain size, patients were much less likely to suffer a complication from the upcoming fracture surgery.
Using Ultrasound In Our Practice
It’s great to see studies provide more evidence for a technique we’ve been offering at our clinic for a long time. We track heel pad swelling and a couple of other factors mentioned in the study (BMI and tobacco use), so we have a good idea of who is ready for surgery and who should wait a bit for their operation.
As one of the early adopters in Minnesota to have and regularly use ultrasound in our clinic, Dr. Silverman and his team have a great tool that can be used to decrease the rate of complications after surgery. In our clinic, we can measure the heel pad size very quickly and make the determination of whether or not to proceed with surgery or to delay surgery to ensure more healing of the soft tissues.
What’s great is that heel pad swelling can be visualized by the patient live, and it can help ensure patient compliance with both pre- and post-operative elevation instructions. If you want to have your surgery done, your swelling needs to resolve, so stick to the given instructions and not only will you be able to get ready for surgery sooner, but you’ll also be reducing your risk of complications. We’re happy to offer ultrasound as a diagnostic option at our clinic, and we know that it’s helping to keep our patients safer.
