Question:
Will a fractured ankle postpone sugery?

On 5/10 I went to see the nutritionist for preop counseling and I fell at her house. I fractured my right ankle. I'm in a soft/gel cast for 3 weeks. Will this postpone my surgery?    — Bernice C. (posted on May 14, 2001)

May 14, 2001
I sprained my ankle a few weeks before surgery. My surgeon said the surgery would be postponed unless I could walk on it without use of pain medication the day before surgery. He indicated that it was essential to be able to walk immediately post op. Have you talked to your surgeon? I would think this would be a question his/her office could respond to pretty quickly. If you do have to postpone, it sounds like it wouldn't have to be too long. Perhaps they can switch your date with someone else scheduled for next month?
   — BethVBG

May 14, 2001
You will have to talk w/ your surgeon.. I think as long as you are able to walk around after the surgery you are ok.. is your date scheduled yet? Any date or estimates on the time frame for healing whats wrong now? How does that fall w/ your surgery date or estimated surgery date etc?
   — Dawn R.

May 24, 2001
Although my ankle isn't fractured, it is worse, I have had two reconstructions on the tendons, ligaments, and a bone graft since last August, with the second surgery being 2/20/01. I just became weight bearing on 5/7, however, am still in a lot of pain walking. My gastro surgeon still scheduled my surgery on 6/19/01 since I am able to get up and walk, even a little. I believe as long as you are mobile you should be okay. You are lucky that it is a fracture, believe me I have had both fracture and soft tissue ruptures. I have been in out of fiberglass cast since 6/29/00, and with a fracture, the most that I know of, is six weeks in a cast. Good Luck!
   — Cassandra R.