| Do I need surgery or are there other options to treat my condition? |
| Surgery is usually recommended only after other treatments, such as physical therapy, medicines and other measures have failed to provide relief. There are some conditions where therapy and non-surgical treatments are totally inadequate and bound to fail, and in these conditions surgery may be the only viable option. |
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| Do I need an orthopedic surgeon for my foot and ankle surgery? |
| It may be a matter of personal choice or simply wanting the surgeon with the most training and experience. Patients may feel more comfortable having a surgeon who is a doctor of medicine, an orthopedic surgeon, and a member of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society perform their surgery. Orthopedic surgeons have had the most extensive training of all the health providers that operate on the foot and ankle. Dr. DeGroot can also treat your knee, hip, and shoulder complaints and determine if they are related to your foot problems. |
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| Should my orthopedic surgeon be board certified ? |
| Definitely. Dr. DeGroot is certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons. |
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| Who will perform my surgery? |
| Dr. DeGroot performs all of his surgeries. Dr. DeGroot has trained Harvard and Tufts surgical residents, fellows, and physician assistants in the past, but he still performs all his surgeries himself. |
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| What kind of anaesthesia will I need and who will be giving it to me? |
| We are fortunate to have a superb staff of board certified anaesthesiologists. |
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| What complications might occur with my surgery and how would you manage them? |
| Dr. DeGroot will take the time to spell out the benefits of the surgery as well as the risks, so that you have a complete understanding of the process. |
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| How will you control the pain after my surgery? |
| Dr. DeGroot uses an integrated pain management system that starts the moment you arrive in the surgical holding area and continues throughout your recovery. Dr. DeGroot is also committed to using the minimum amount of narcotic pain medications possible. |
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| How long will it take to get back to activities such as driving and to my job? |
| This is so variable it is hard to give a general answer. It depends as much on your job as on your surgery. In addition, left foot surgery allows more rapid return to driving and automatic shift vehicle than right foot surgery. Dr. DeGroot will go over this in detail during the pre-operative discussions. |
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| How long will the surgery last? |
| Most surgeries last from 45 to 120 minutes, and you should plan one being in the surgery center an additional 90 minutes before and after the actual procedure. Minimally invasive procedures have resulted in significantly shorter procedures in some cases. |
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