Many people who have an ankle injury may wonder if they will need ankle surgery to repair ligaments. This can be especially true if the pain, discomfort, or instability of the ankle is persistent after medical treatment.
A majority of ankle injuries are successfully treated with noninvasive treatments. Ankle splints or casts may be used to support the ankle as it heals. After treatment, up to twenty percent of cases may experience continual or recurrent instability. This instability makes the ankle prone to becoming injured again.
People with an unstable ankle may be unable to play sports. When walking on uneven ground, their ankle may have a tendency to roll and possibly cause another ankle sprain. They may also have recurring pain in the ankle.
Ankle strengthening exercises and splinting may be used to try to prevent the need for ankle surgery. If the person who has injured an ankle continues to have instability in the ankle, the doctor may recommend ankle surgery to repair ligaments.
For ankle surgery, the person may receive a nerve block anesthesia instead of general anesthesia. The ankle surgery can often be done as an outpatient surgery. Arthroscopy is a surgical method that uses a small instrument to look for any pieces of cartilage or bone and removes them if any are present. The surgeon can also check that none of the ligament is being pinched by the joint.
The surgeon may need to do some reconstruction of the ligament. The tear in the ligament may be repaired with sutures. Sometimes, other ligaments from the body are used to repair the torn ligament, but this can cause complications.
After surgery, the ankle may be put in a splint or cast to immobilize the area. Ankle strengthening exercises or physical therapy may be used for rehabilitation.
An alternative treatment for ankle injuries is stem cell injections. The adult stem cells are injected into the torn ligament. An MRI is used to plan the surgery and ideal location for the injection. X-rays are used to make sure the injection is in the right place.
Stem cell ankle treatment does not require the splinting or restrictions in movement that traditional surgery requires. The stem cell injections for ankle injuries fill in the area of the ligament tear and cause the regrowth of the ligament. Stem cell injections can be used for other ligament tears as well.
