Hello all. It’s been a long while since I’ve updated my situation. I had surgery this morning to close the orginal surgical wound from an ATR repair back on May 5th. I don’t know much about the procedure, but I’ll follow up after I get to speak to my doc. I was a little out of it this morning, and my wife didn’t ask all of the questions I would have asked. This is what I know: Doc carved out the walls to make the wound as “meaty and bloody” as he could, then he sewed it up. I’m wrapped up in an ace bandage right now, and I’ll see him on Tuesday, the 21st. I have no pain.
To refresh quickly, ATR on April 29th. Surgery to repair the AT on May 5th. After the cast was taken off to remove stiches on May 23rd, the wound was open and has slowly healed from inside out over the past four months. During that time, I have used “wet-to-dry” daily dressing changes, 3 weeks of wound vac therapy, “packing the wound” with dry gauze daily, and just simple band-aid coverage to prevent minor leakage. The combination of all of this has slowly healed the wound from the inside, but it has not completely closed. I have no pain, but a little discomfort and aggravation beyond words!! The tendon has healed properly, but my leg is still weak because I can’t rehab the way I need to due to the wound. I have been walking freely in two shoes since the end of July. I still limp to this day, but I hope that will improve with rehab once the wound issue is over.
My doc determined that my wound has basically been open long enough that the skin has grown down the interior walls and will not fuse together and close (his analogy: just as the bend in our elbow will not fuse together–no matter how long the two sides touch each other). The wound would appear closed, until I moved my foot down–the wound would then open, as if it were about to actually begin to speak!! A buddy of mine is an athletic trainer, and everytime he would look at it, he said he had a severe urge to put a quarter in the slot of the wound!! He has issues.
I’ve read through a few of the “older” injuries, ones closer to my injury date. I’ll keep reading to get a grasp on everyone’s progress. Curious to find out about Kristen’s open wound, and I did read that Daveleft has an open wound as well. This is part of the ATR that most do not have to worry about. This “extra” stress and aggravation with this injury has been difficult, but I feel like I’m definitely close to the end of all of this. I hope…..
Hey Kevin,
I am very curious as to how u r doin. I too am a father of three who has had difficulty in closing the wound. I am about to have my fifth surgery soon and I was just wondering how you made out??
Mike
I would be very interested to hear all of your experiences as well.
A fish bit my tendon on a holiday in 2010 October in Egypt. A 2 inch horizontal cut through the tendon, almost total rupture.
It goes without saying that a horizontal cut is not the best to have on your angle when they start bending it to 90 deg again. The wound ruptured and now won’t close again. I have Silver (Aquacell Ag) patch on it + a Vacocast boot to immobilize the foot. The silver patch is kept on the wound for 4-5 days then shower.
It’s been now 1 month after the wound tore and I do not see any progress in the wound myself. Quite a lot of pain. Frustration as I can not move or go about my normal routines.
Was the fish a shark by any chance?
You don’t provide a lot of information but I’m assuming your had surgery to repair the severed tendon? If so they used non-dissolving sutures to sew it back together and they are still inside your body. Based on my own experience and the experience of some others here I am betting that your problem is caused by the internal sutures. Are you experiencing recurrent or persistent infections? Is there drainage from the wound? If the answer to either of those is yes, you will probably need another surgery to remove at the internal sutures. The good news is they aren’t needed anymore.
Keven, I have had two achilles tendon repair surgeries basically back to back. Now i have had a complication with healing. I have an open wound over 6 weeks post surgery. My surgeon referred me to a plastic surgeon, who told me that one of the stitches in my tendon is very close to the surface, my skin is rejecting it and this will not let the wound heal.
THe plastic surgeon wants to open me up a third time and take out the stitches that are in my tendon. I would do anything to avoid another surgery. What can be done to help this wound heal without another surgery?
THank you so much for any insight you can give.
Kevin, I am having same issue with a hole the size of the end of my thumb not closing between the ankle bone and back of heel and a 2 inches up from the bottom of my foot. My injury was a complete rupture Oct 5 2011. I had surgery Oct 15. When 2nd cast was removed Nov 29 we were not happy with looks of that area.Decide to be conservative and try dressings. never had infection. So from Nov 29 to Jan 11 I have been doing wet-dry dressings, used Silvadine antibiotic creams and waiting. It has been like watching grass grow. I started PT Dec 29 but the Therapist was very aprehensive. I only had 4 PT appts. Was off to a great start with PT. On my next appt with Surgeon on Jan 11 he refered me to Plastic Surgeon Jan 11. Did not do wound vac. I had Integra Placement Jan 27 to prepare the wound bed and Skin Graft Feb 15. On Mar 26 my Plastic surgeon and I had a discussion and now I am referred to the Wound Care Clinic. I have read about PRP and Hyperbaric therapy and whatever else I can find. I am really healthy and all else is moving along and progressing OK. I am continuing PT at home, working out and back to cross fit 1-2 days with my trainer privatly. I am 6 months as of Mar 5 since injury. How are you doing now? Any advise? I have Kaiser Permenente Insurance and I have been happy with the steps I have taken. I really do not want to do the more invasive Skin Flap graft my leg will look like a patchwork quilt. Such a small area we are dealing with. Hope to hear from you. Dory
PS I am going to look for xsoccorplayer on the blog. I had not come across him. If you still converse with him give him my name.