This surgery fuses the calcaneus (that's the heel bone) to the talus. The talus is the bone that connects the foot to the ankle. This surgery may help if you have arthritis. You may also need this surgery if you have an injury, or if you were born with a foot problem.
To begin, you're put to sleep. Or, we give you medicine to make you feel relaxed and numb. Then, we make an incision on the outer side of your foot. This lets us get to the joint between the calcaneus and talus. We remove the cartilage in this joint. We also may reposition the calcaneus.
Now, it's time to create the fusion. First, we make sure the bones fit together tightly. Then, we use hardware to join them. We may add bone graft to help the joint fuse as it heals.
When it's done, we close and bandage your skin. You can expect to wear a cast or brace while your foot heals. Follow your care plan for a safe recovery.