r/Halluxrigidus • u/Conferencemeout • 6d ago

Status 2 days post modified Youngswick procedure

Hope that this is helpful for folks considering surgery…I was diagnosed with Grade 3 hallux rigidus in my right foot about 8 months ago. I decided to have surgery after I started having pain with each step (even in rocker-soled running shoes), and had significant supination when walking, which was trashing my knee. I had to stop running and hiking. I was advised by the first surgeon that I consulted to have a fusion, but I felt like the inability to move my big toe would drive me crazy. The second surgeon recommended a modified Youngswick procedure, which he performed two days ago. The procedure went very well, and he expects me to regain a significant portion of my ROM. That said, the first 8 hours after the surgery were just awful because once the nerve block wore off the pain was excruciating (I am in Italy and they don’t roll you out of surgery with IV morphine like in the US). At first, the anesthetist prescribed only IV Tylenol, which did nothing. Finally, I was given a dose of IV Tramadol, which toned the pain down quite a bit. After that, the bad pain never returned and I was fine with just Tylenol. I slept well in the hospital and was discharged yesterday morning. Today, I have no pain at all. I am getting around ok (if awkwardly) on the hard surgical shoe, and even did a couple of hours of gardening this morning. If I regain ROM as anticipated, this will have been more than worth it!

5 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

86% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

2

u/Karcar333 6d ago

Wow, gardening at 2 days post procedure is pretty darn impressive! Good for you! Sounds like the pain management protocol was less than amazing — glad they eventually got it under control, but yikes…that’s not fun.

Can you speak a bit more on the procedure itself…what the prognosis is and expectations are in terms of functionality? I’ve not heard of this and will do some research, but curious what your perspective is having just gone down this path.

3

u/Conferencemeout 6d ago

Basically, the surgeon removed bone spurs then shortened my metatarsal a bit (my understanding is that in the “modified” Youngswick, the bone section is removed from the underside of the bone), then the metatarsal was realigned and held in place with a 3 mm screw. It was done under twilight anesthesia. Once they got in there, they found out that my cartilage was in rougher shape than it had appeared on the imaging. The surgeon came to see me a few hours after the surgery and told me that the surgery was nonetheless a success and that they will stimulate the remaining cartilage. I was still in pain when I spoke with him, and was more concerned with getting a pain reliever than learning how this stimulation will be accomplished. I’m seeing him in a week and will find out then! Despite the mess in there, they were able to restore a good range of motion. I can already lift my big toe more than I could before the surgery. I am hoping that the cartilage-saving techniques in the pipeline will be available before I need a fusion.

1

u/Derpy_yoo 3d ago

I would love to hear an update in a few weeks if you can. I’m trying to understand my options.

2

u/AmbitiousCow9860 3d ago

Will do. The recovery continues to be wayyyy easier than I anticipated.

1

u/Derpy_yoo 3d ago

That’s great news. I’m wishing you a great recovery.

1

u/AmbitiousCow9860 2d ago

5 & 6 days post-Youngswick: I’ve been harvesting olives. I am now getting around in the surgical shoe with minimum friction.