Finger surgery again.

**sacc51** · 12th February 2022, 10:10 PM

I started get pain in my index finger DIP joint so consulted the surgeon again. He examined my fingers and noticed the DIP joint on my ring finger no longer moves, it has fused itself solid, fortunately no pain there. But the index finger, wow, it hurts. The surgeon booked me in for fusing surgery again, so I asked if he could break the PIP joint and set it at a more acute acute, so I could at least use it a little.

I underwent the surgery, the index finger was now completely fused by steel splints through the middle of the bone, both joints. But months on the PIP joint was still moving so fusion hadn't taken place, the surgeon said it had and was happy with the results. Over the next couple of months the PIP joint started to straighten out as fusion hadn't occurred, in my opinion at least. Now months down the track the PIP joint has fused, but the finger is almost straight now and completely useless.

I've had four surgeries now: Lung removal, ulna nerve transposition, fingers fused and joints replaced, Big toe joint replaced and a THR. None have really been successful. I can't walk up steps without running out of breath and the cancer has returned - twice! The ulna nerve transposition hasn't worked all that well, my elbow swells up like a balloon and is a new experience in pain. Fingers are so so. Big toe points to the sky and hips won't let me walk out of sight on a dark night.

I'm way over due for elbow replacement surgery, nothing left of them now and they hurt. But, I'm putting off that surgery for as long as I can. Elbow replacements are very limiting, no lifting anything heavier than a cup of coffee, no repetitive movements and going on past surgeries I doubt if it will help me. Surgeons? Nope, I think I'd be better off going to a butcher shop.

**D.W.** · 16th February 2022, 06:30 AM

I can't make much in terms of comments on the other surgeries, but my MIL severed a tendon in her index finger using a dull knife and trying to force it through something.

Her surgeon made all kinds of promises, but post surgery, she's had a lot of pain. Her surgeon told her it would be a slam dunk case to regain full functionality and that he's done a lot of the same operation (hundreds?). Not only is her finger painful, but it's nearly straight as you mention and has almost no range of motion.

She went to see the surgeon as it was healing (she followed the physical therapy regimen to a T), and his comment was "not sure what happened, but I've been seeing this a lot lately"

(!!!!!!!)

I don't think surgeons are very good at giving a range of outcomes and likelihoods, even a reasonable guess.

I've got a huge black palm splinter in my finger, but it's nearly parallel to the bone and I can't even feel it. I went to a hand surgeon to see what I should do (scheduled shortly after it broke off in my finger) and by then it didn't hurt much. I can push on it and get the opposite end to stick up and make a dot on the skin.

The surgeon gave me two different options (neither was to do nothing) and talked at length about where the nerve loss would be, but that it would be successful. I finally asked him "if I do nothing with the splinter and it doesn't bother me, then what? I could come back in and get it removed if it ever becomes a problem"

That was at the last minute, and he said "since it's not bothering you, I think that would be a very reasonable strategy".

Well, then why wasn't it posed as a reasonable option!!!??

There are certainly other types here that are far more reliable - ACL, Knee replacement, hip replacement, etc.

The final outcome for my MIL is..

...nothing. Her finger is the way it is and the surgeon prescribed her some kind of cream to rub on it (combination pain relief and something else).

**verawood** · 16th February 2022, 08:40 AM

I wish you all the best with your health issues.
It certainly doesn't get easier as we get older.

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