Tri-malleor Fracture/traumatic dislocation

In 1975, I suffered a "traumatic" dislocation of my left foot due to a tri-malleor fracture...I ended up looking at the bottom of my foot as I held my leg up in the air. One year post surgery, I had the screws taken out, as they were interfering with the motion of the joint. This past January, I had bone spurs and the arthritic accumulation removed by arthroscopic surgery due to the pain I was experiencing. After this surgery, the ankle swelled up, and the level of pain in the ankle increased to the point I couldn't walk on it after 12 weeks of no weight bearing. Then I started to experience shortness of breath, racing heart rate and fatigue and when to my GP who immediately sent me to the local hospital where I was diagnosed with multiple blood clots in my lungs. Luckily I didn't stroke out or have a heart attack and am now on blood thinner with a filter in the vein going to my heart. A sonogram showed a blood clot in the leg that was operated o for the ankle problem. I have DVT in that leg.

My question...My GP says it is SOP for someone my age (65) to have therapy for blood clots following surgery. At no time did my surgeon, during the post operative appointments, suggest or address any treatment for or risk of blood clots, even after seeing the swollen, heated, and inflamed condition of not only my ankle but also my leg. Can someone please tell me if what my GP says is true and if so, what level of therapy or prevention is SOP.

While I'm at it, please, those of you having any surgery, ask about blood clotting issues...I am extremely lucky I didn't have a stroke or die from the clots in my lungs...my GP is one good doctor.

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Though the risk of having a DVT post surgery increases with advancing age; anti-coagulant therapy post-surgery is not mandatory unless there are specific risk factors associated in addition. Anti-coagulation following surgeries increases the risk of bleeding into the region and potential risks need to be evaluated against the benefits; though it would be inappropriate to comment on, in your case without knowing the details. But yes, if there was associated swelling of the leg with inflammation of the joint, the diagnosis of a DVT should have been considered at that time and appropriate management initiated.
Hope this information was useful.

Take care!

[greenuno]

Thank you for responding to my thread.