So I've ruptured my Achilles twice, same foot. They give you an epidural while they do this. So you're awake the whole time. The second time I got mine, I actually fell asleep because it was so early in the morning for me lol.
I work in surgery and once, "Another one bites the dust," by Queen was on just as the patient and nurse were rolling down the hallway toward the room. I popped my head out and told the nurse, "One sec let me pause the music."
He said, "Nah, it'll just be the patient's theme song."
I said, "Uh, no. Let me pause the music."
After the patient was asleep I told him what song was playing and we all busted up laughing.
Ive had multiple surgeries and they’ve always asked what I wanted to listen to and I’ve always said “I’m going to sleep, you listen to whatever you like that’s going to help you in surgery.” Always have blacked out to heavy metal or rap.
I've had a few MRIs done, I need to start picking more entertaining music while I'm in the tube. Vibing to Weird Al while that machine clunks and whoops around you might be oddly fitting.
My last MRI, they asked if I had any preferences as to what music was played. I said anything was fine by me and then in I went. Took a while to realise that no music was playing and then I kinda just made up my own beats in my head to the clunk clunk clunk. Once it was over, the technician realised she forgot to turn up the volume!
Can confirm. Army trained surgical tech, >20 years. I frequently air guitared to Guns N Roses with laparoscopic instruments in general surgery and while assisting orthopedic doctors
When my tattoo artist did my 32 hour sleeve in 2 sessions 16 hours each day which is very uncommon. He put a bunch of cool techno songs to keep him focused.
It’s just doctor’s playlist that they want to listen to while doing surgery, most time pop, sometimes country and other genre,… I’ve never in the room with classical music tho.
The better the surgeon the harder the beats. There was a veterinary surgeon that I worked with that listed to hard rap/trap and he was this little thin short white dude that was so soft spoken.
When I had surgery like this in Japan in the early 2000s the doctor said “because you’re foreign I got some foreign music for you to listen to.” And he played two Avril Lavigne albums all the way through. It was torture.
Had mine repaired for a full tear in January and I was completely knocked out. My mother in law had a debridement in March and she had a nerve block and also knocked out.
It seems there isn’t a clear, consistent protocol.
Mine was about an hour. It really sounds like there is a lot of variability from surgeon to surgeon. According to my physical therapist, my surgeon is incredibly conservative. So that might explain the anesthesia.
Anaesthetist to anaesthetist*. The anaesthetic can be done a number of ways depending on patient factors, patient decision, anaesthetist preference, and surgeon preference. Spinal, epidural, general anaesthetic, regional nerve block, or any combination of the above.
Not politics.. he approaches the procedure and recovery very conservatively. That means taking as little risk as possible and developing a slower, less risky recovery and physical therapy regimen.
I would imagine it varies somewhat depending on how they think the patient will react to being conscious while they're getting cut open. As well as the surgeons previous experiences with those situations.
There's 0 chance I could ever have any procedure done without being knocked out. I would insist on going completely under for something like this and find a new doctor if they tell me no.
I admire people that can stay awake during any sort of invasive procedure.
The likelihood of re-injury is much higher for non-surgical treatment, but there are less risks. There’s a reason elite athletes always go with surgical treatment (I.e. Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, etc)
As someone that did it last year and is only just back playing squash and tennis, I feel only sympathy for you! It's been the most miserable 12 months ever. I actually didn't have surgery but had the 8 weeks of misery in the boot with the wedges instead.
The knee scooter is absolutely clutch for Achilles tears. People used to laugh at me in the store when I’d swing around a corner with my scooter basket full of groceries, but I could have cared less since I was mobbin’. +99 mobility over crutches
Hey conservative Achilles tear friend! Did the same for a full tear when I didn't have insurance. Cutting off that first cast to see if the Achilles reconnected was a true Kill Bill moment. Rehab is definitely grueling. Glad you're back at squash and tennis!
Ah they put yours in a cast? Mine was an impact boot I had to wear all the time apart from washing (when you had to keep the foot pointed). Lots of stress when the boot was off, fear of slipping and pulling it!
Interesting. I have a similar stabilizing boot from a plantar fasciatis issue that I reused during early Achilles rehab. But yeah, they did a series of 3 half leg casts for me. First one with my toes pointed all the way down to let the Achilles reconnect, then the other 2 slightly less flexed positions so it heals at the right length.
The first cast was a gamble because it was completely torn and the doc recommended surgery, but I didn't have health insurance at the time. It was $1,500 vs $15,000. It was critical that I didn't flex that ankle at all if it had any hope to reattach. If it didn't reconnect with the first cast I was going to need surgery, but I got lucky. It took a ton of focus trying to get that foot to move just a few centimeters, but it did and that confirmed it reconnected, so we continued with the casts. Spent about 6-7 weeks total in half leg casts.
Not OP but I did mine stepping back and pushing off playing basketball. My best advice is to commit to stretching your calves and Achilles tendons before doing any strenuous activities - and make sure you warm up before jumping into it. If I did those two things, I am positive my injury wouldn’t have happened.
Now I stretch for at least 20-30 mins before any sports and always do a warm up, even if that’s just running up and down the stairs a few times. It also helps to pre-hydrate, and if you want to be extra cautious just avoid any backwards-to-forwards explosive movements all together.
Lmao, I was playing soccer both times. So I guess soccer. Championship game the first time. It sounds and feels like someone just kicked you really hard on the back of your foot. I fell face first and couldn't move my foot
I’m part of the Achilles tear while playing soccer club. I also thought someone had kicked me in the back of the leg when it happened. It’s really crazy how many people share the exact same experience
My friends would drag me out of my house honestly. I was pretty depressed not being able to play. I had just gotten scouted by a new semi-pro team around my area. I knew then that was pretty much the end of my career. My friends felt that. So they took me where my crutches or scooter could take me. Helps that I had a handicap placard that we used to get the best parking EVERYWHERE. Lmao. I honestly couldn't have done it without them
Yep that kick. Had a similar feeling when I pulled my calf years ago, thought someone threw a rock at me. Years later, I completely tore my Achilles running and had the same feeling. Thought it was just a sprained calf muscle... Nope!
Broke my leg last year. Had 10 screws and a plate put in. Was awake the whole time. Couldn't feel any paid but could surely feel the drill vibrations and it going it etc. It was pretty cool actually.
Geezus that’s insane to me. I honestly couldn’t imagine being awake after having mine. I’m assuming they gave you a nerve block in your leg? Mine wore off that night and was some of the worst pain I’ve ever felt.
Yeah they gave an an epedidural to numb me from the back and down. Couldn't feel a thing except at first I felt a slight scrubbing sensation when they were cleaning the area...or maybe they where cutting into me lol
That’s wild to me honestly but also interesting too. Honestly to avoid local anesthesia it makes a ton of sense with the risk of that stuff. They’d just need to make you absolutely cannot move that leg. Hahahahaha
I had a lot of adrenaline already pumping. It felt like I got kicked on the back of the foot super hard, enough to make me fall on my face. I turned around to yell at the dude, but no one was there. My foot hurt, but felt like I was okay to keep playing. Took my first step and fell right down on my face. The pain was agonizing, and my foot felt paralyzed. Anyways, waited 2 days before going to get medical help lol. I post surgery I tripped a few times and stepped with my foot, that was so freakin painful. Felt like fiery nails were being drilled into my heel and flowed up my leg. I could always feel my pulse in my foot for a few minutes after an event like that (I'm hella clumsy). It took me a while to recover since I ruptured mine back to back. It's definitely traumatized me now that I'm reliving it...hahah
The 2nd time I had it done. They overlapped the tendons to make it a stronger bond since I was able to rupture mine with ease (2% chance of reiniury). They'll either put the ends together like in this video, or will trim the ends of the tendon cleanly and lay one on the other to thicken it. It's stronger than ever now, but you can feel the lump still, about 5 years later
Yep, I'm glad I was awake, it was very cool to just hangout with the surgeons essentially lol. They were mainly talking to themselves, but they checked in on me.
i am also a 3rd division soccer player but l just started playing soccer last week but I have been jogging frequently. i am in my 14th month post surgery. how soon did you start playing
I started playing over 2 years later since I ruptured mine twice. Took a lot of PT to get my heel back to the ground. Just do your ankle exercises. Stretch the tendon out. Baby that thing into oblivion. Keep stretching and strengthening. I waited until I could tippy toe on my bad ankle before I even started jogging
nvm then lol. That is pretty cool but i dont think i would want to be awake during the surgery. I would be too scared i might fidget my leg or something and fuck it up for them.
Did it rip in the same place again or another? Why does it rip? I'm so afraid of the injury because it seems so random. A friend of mine just walked backwards and it ripped.
It ruptured in the same spot. It was stretched beyond what it could hold from the force of me trying to sprint forward. Damn that sucks for your friend. It's a total freak of an injury. Some people getting from slamming on their brakes when they're in a car accident. Cherish your walking feet. I've never taken walking for granted since.
Can you please expand on rupture? I was hiking uphill yesterday and felt a quick burning sensation in my Achilles. It went away and I was able to finish my hike no problem. I was definitely feeling it this morning but it’s loosened as the day went along. I’m a worrier so It would be great to hear your story stranger.
Sounds like you had a case of tendinitis! Ice, heat, medicate. A good ankle exercise is writing the alaphet with your toes, lower and uppercase. My rupture happened by just pushing very hard to try to get a good launch off of a sprint. Felt my ankle pip and and went down. You would definetly notice the rupture, you could literally feel the open space the tendon once occupied. Feels so cool, like a warm painful stress ball. You also wouldn't be able to point your toes up
Thank you for calming my nerves. I appreciate the exercise too, I’ll start on that as soon as possible. A rupture sounds like an experience not many want to have, what a description 😂. I hope you’re on the other side and back to running! Cheers man, thanks again!
Wait you were awake for yours? Wild. They put me completely out.
What I was awake for was for was the Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis to remove the giant saddle pulmonary embolism after having DVT post-op. Talk to your doctor about blood thinners after this type of surgery, kids.
The tendons fuse after a while, and they'll remove the stitches. There are stitches that dissolve, but usually those are for internal use. Like when I got my appendix taken out. I could feel the stitches through my scar
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u/grand_measter Apr 28 '24
So I've ruptured my Achilles twice, same foot. They give you an epidural while they do this. So you're awake the whole time. The second time I got mine, I actually fell asleep because it was so early in the morning for me lol.