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Gastroc recession

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by JennyPenny, Sep 3, 2008.

  1. JennyPenny

    JennyPenny New Member


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    Has anyone heard of doing a procedure called a Gastrocnemius recession for chronic plantar fasciitis? I've already had a plantar fasciotomy, and the orthopedic surgeon I saw thinks I have scar tissue from the surgery causing some nerve pain, and that lengthening my gastroc muscle while also cutting a small amount of the scar tissue away from my old incision would be a cure for me. Incidentely, he doesn't think I have Baxter's Nerve Entrapment, which is what I thought I might have. This surgeon doesn't even perform plantar fasciotomies for PF; he almost always does this other procedure, with supposedly 60-80% success rate. Thanks.
     
  2. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    DISCLAIMER:
    THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS- ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE
    READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
    ***********************************************************

    Yes, I have heard of it, but I have neither had experience with it nor do I know of a patient who has undergone it. As always, check your surgeon out throughly before submitting to the knife, and get several other opinions through hands-on examination with well-vetted doctors.
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    two years ago my sister-in-law's orthopedic surgeon had her scheduled for that surgery because of her chronic plantar fascitis.
    Her insurance company denied her the surgery because they said that it was experimental.
     
  4. JaclynM

    JaclynM Guest

    I had a gastroc recession on my left leg in April and am scheduled for my right leg on Dec 11. It sucks, but worked amazingly for me because my Achilles tendons are very tight and have been my entire life. I suffer from daily Charlie Horses and just being uncomfortable overall. My left leg feels awesome, but my right hurts.
    It was not a fun healing process because I was in a cast for 5 weeks, but it's what I had to do. :) Physical therapy was crazy too. At least I learned to walk correctly!

    Good luck if you do decide to get it!
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I know this was along time ago... but are either of you still around? I'm scheduled for this procedure in a couple weeks and want more info. PLEASE!
     
  6. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I just saw my Ortho Surgeon today who recommended this for me, as well. He said that it should be a very quick procedure.. maybe only 20 minutes, and that is to do both of my calves. He told me that he is going to do a small incision into the center of each calf muscle (to keep them attractive :)).. go in, lengthen the muscle... and be done. I was told there will be pain and burning but it shouldn't be anything worse than what I have been dealing with already (that and not being able to run). 6 weeks to recovery, if that and I should still be able to make the Army 10-Miler in DC in October. He did tell me that I should get those sock type things to wear around my calves (I believe he said they were without feet) to just keep my calf muscles from "jiggling" - his medical terminology, not mine... for the first week or so... but he said with doing my surgery on a Friday I should be walking and driving over the weekend and by Monday.

    I have the utmost confidence in my doctor... I hope yours goes as well as I think mine will.
     
  7. foottdude

    foottdude Guest

    The gastroc-recession is a very easy procedure that is designed to lenghten the calf muscle and the achilles tendon. the procedure is done at the area where the calf muscle and the achilles tendon meet. This area is rich in blood supply which allows the surgery to heal very quickly. There are several different ways to cut the muscle-tendon junction, but I like to make a cut through the muscle that resembles a top hat. This is called a tongue-in -groove procedure or a "Reverse Strayer". The fibers of the muscle-tendon junction are separated to lenghten the achilles tendon so the foot can dorsiflex (flex up at the ankle) further. The muscle-tendon junction is then strongly sutured together in a longer position, and the skin is closed. The procedure is done for many reasons including plantar fascitis, Posterior Heel spurs, and achilles tendon tears due to a tight calf muscle. A tight calf muscle forces you to put more pressure to the balls of the feet while walking constantly straining the plantarfascia and causes your feet to turn out.
    Following the procedure, I put my patients in a non-weight bearing cast for two weeks, followed by a weight bearing cast for two weeks, and then the pateint is sent for physical therapy to strenghten and stretch the achilles and calf muscle for at least two weeks.
    The procedure can be performed by your local orthopedist or Podiatrist. I have done hundreds of these procedures with great results. In fact, I'm doing one tomorrow for a 60 year old lady with a partial achilles tendon rupture with multiple calcifications in the distal end of her achilles tendon. Good luck on your surgery.
    Dr. B (Podiatrist)
     
  8. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I just had the surgeries Nov. 5th and Dec. 24th. I was in a walking boot for 3 weeks while it was healing. I had intolerable pain on the outside and inside of my feet. It felt like the upper foot area was in a vise after each work day. Doctor stated I had tight calf muscle that restricted the range of foot movement. The surgery corrected my feet at resting by 15-20 degrees.
     
  9. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I had GR and PF release done 3 weeks ago - 2 weeks with "ski boots" and now for the next month only wear them at night.
    Walking is tough - very very slow - feet swell if not elevated during the day periodically.
    Hoping to cure PF that I've had for 12 years now.

    Ray
     
  10. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I had GF 3 days ago, I feel great. Minimal pain. The whole experience was very positive. Its just the walking boot that sucks...very slow..I'm crossing my fingers it worked.
     
  11. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I'm getting ready to take my 10 yr. old in for this surgery. He has walked on his toes his entire life. He is able to run and play like everyone else but gets tired easily and runs very clumsily. He'll be in casts for 6 weeks, ugh!!! I'm hoping this will help him with coordination and get him off his tip toes. If anoyone has advice for me on what to expect, I'd love to hear it. I hope I'm making the right call in doing the surgery.
     
  12. F/A surgeon

    F/A surgeon Guest

    Unless one is obese and/or not very active, I would never consider this procedure for plantar fasciitis. I certainly would never consider it if you are athletic. You will likely never be able to run the same again. The calf weakness and atrophy are very impressive after this procedure (which is the intent of the procedure) especially if not casted (nonweightbearing) for a period of time after. The calf strength NEVER returns to full power even with aggressive PT. Yes, it is a valuable, needed and effective procedure for disorders such as flatfoot with a legit pathologic equinus, but not necessary for plantar fasciitis. Any foot and ankle surgeon who is reasonably active would never want this procedure done on themselves!

    hope this helps
     
  13. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    On reading this topic I realise that I had this surgery in 2003; I never knew what it was called though!! I hope it works for the people on here but it was certainly a mistake for me. It was done on my left leg because my Achilles tendon was very tight and the lack of dorsiflexion caused a lot of problems on the ball of my foot and my ankle.

    I am very unhappy about the way my calf looks since the operation. I saw the previous mention of the way it is cut, well I don't know how mine was done but my calf is now considerably smaller than the right one and has a noticeable dip in the back of it. Also, as the foot specialist mentions in the last post, if I even break into a jog, within the first few steps my calf just tightens and is painful. Discovering that my tight Achilles tendon was a symptom of an ankle impingement so the operation was never going to improve the dorsiflexion made me rue the day I had this surgery.

    I would say to anyone to make sure that this surgery is right for them because you can regret it for a long time.
     
  14. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I just had this done 3 days ago. My achilles doesn't hurt anymore. I will say I have had a couple of times that I put my foot down and I thought I was going to flip with the pain. My dr. said that of all the surgeries he has done of this kind I am the one who needed it the most. He could not believe how tight my calf muscles are in the one leg. I am on crutches for a week, and the cast boot for a total of 6 weeks. We tried to avoid this surgery and it just didn't happen. I know that I am out of PT for at least 4 weeks. I pray that it goes well so that I can walk pain free again.
     
  15. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I am having this surgery on my left left this Friday and I am so excited. I am 51 years old, could never touch my toes, run for a long time, do a split (wanted to cheer in High School) and walk for a long period of time. I just had knee replace surgery a year ago, my hips hurt and now I found out I have disc problems in my back, all caused by this. Until my feet really started to hurt me and a second opinion, I found out this is what I need. If anyone checks back in that posted who had the surgery let me know how you are doing. Thanks.
     
  16. I had my gastroc recession done about 2 weeks ago and I feel great. I am in my early 40's and I was just starting to see some problems developing in my foot.

    I had a cast on for the first 2 weeks and now I am supposed to be no weight bearing but my calf feels great. I was out watering the garden today just wearing my tennis shoes and being really careful.

    At this point my doctor seems to be most concerned with me simply injuring the gastroc and requiring major surgery to repair it. I will start PT in a couple of weeks, wish i could start next week, but I know that it needs a little more time to heal before I start really using it.

    How quickly have any of you started putting weight on yours?

    Jack, AZ
     
  17. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    In May 2008 I had surgey for a Haglunds Deformity on my right foot. The surgey worked really well and I had the left foot done in January 2009. The surgeon at the same time did a gastroc reession as my calf was very tight. Sadly the op on my left leg was not as successful as the right. A lot of scar tissue built up internally around the incision, despite massage and physio. Ultimately my calf was more tight than previously, and I could barley run for a bus. In Febuary 2010 the surgeon tried again. He removed the scar tissue and re-lengthed the muscle. I was immediately weightbearing after the surgery to see if that would prevent the build up of scar tissue, but it hasn't. I now have pain in the ankle area (may be the tibialis posterior), so I can't stand on my toes. The tendon/muscle is so tight I feels like it may tear even when I do this movement non-weight bearing. If I could go back, I would never have had the recission done.

    Make sure this is the surgery you need.

    I would love to hear if anyone else has had the same problems.
     
  18. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    Your experience demonstrates and underscores the folly in soliciting anecdotal evaluations of procedures and treatments from lay persons . . something I have railed against here (often to the vociferous displeasure of others) for years. They are at best, uninformative and unreliable, and at worst dangerous. Had you been asked about your opinion of the procedure after the first surgery, you would have lauded it. But had you had the second experience first and had been asked the same question, your remarks would have been skewed by 180 degrees. A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing, and I again caution all to take with but a grain of salt either the praise or denunciation of a procedure or treatment based on an insignificant number of experiences. Better rely on the cumulative knowledge of those those in the profession who have had multiple experiences with such procedures and treatments and can make evaluations which are based on numbers which are of statistical value.

    That being said . . your closing remarks are to be heeded. Make sure ANY surgery is something you really need and be very wary of "add-on" procedures for complaints for which you didn't come to the doctor. Be your own advocate, obtain independent information from responsible and knowledgeable sources and obtain second or even third opinion when you are uncertain. In the end, there are no guarantees in medicine, but doing your own research BEFORE and not AFTER an irreversible treatment is something which you owe to yourself. No one doctor is always right.
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2010
  19. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I had this same surgery done on my right leg back in May it went well then had it done on my left leg in June it went awefull my leg keeps swelling my doctors never gave me any PT for either leg I can't even run now with my kids my walk if funny and the scars are horiffic. Please I advise anyone who is going to do this make sure it is the right decesion because it can leave you very unhappy with the out come of the surgery. Now when I go to my doctor and explain this to him he acts like oh well what is done is done. I am now seeking other advice.
     
  20. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I had Gastrocnemius Recession 5 years ago due to Plantar Fascitis (spelling?) in my right foot that was horribly excruciating. I had had several injections in my foot and nothing seemed to work. Finally, I went to a new doctor who looked at the flexation of my foot and said that he believed I had a tightening calf muscle. I went in for the surgery and it was the absolute best thing I have ever done; surgery was quick, inexpensive and after a few weeks in a walking cast I was back to normal. I have not had any pain what-so-ever since and I am on my feet a lot; and it has been 5 years

    Good luck!

    Dy
     
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