Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[ewf]

My surgery with Dr. Mitkovic in Serbia was completed today, appropriately one hour ago. The surgery itself seems to have taken longer than originally stated, but no issues as of yet that I am aware of. However, I am experiencing much more bleeding in my left leg though.

I did make an attempt to stand up shortly after I came around from the general, but just as I got my feet on the ground, the nurse came in and told me I needed to lay back lol..

[KiloKAHN]

Congrats man. I wouldn't worry about the bleeding, I also experienced a lot more of it on my left leg but it was inconsequential. I found that through the lengthening phase I'd have one leg that was acting up a lot more than the other, and then it would switch and the worse leg would suddenly become the better leg.

Are you really shooting for 10 cm though? Can Mitkovic's device handle that amount?

[ewf]

Hi KiloKAHN,

Thanks, that's really good to hear. I'm not actually shooting for 10 cm in my tibs. That's more if a long term goal, If I was ever to forgo another surgery. But I have a strong feeling I'll be very happy if I can reach 183 cm (6 cm).

Thankfully the drowsiness is now wearing off, but all I can think about is food right now

[Medium Drink Of Water]

I can't find the thread, but I remember it's been mentioned on here that he doesn't offer LON/LATN anymore.  Is this true and set in stone?  Is there absolutely no way he could offer it?

[ewf]

No LON/LATN offerings for tibias, but maybe he'll expand his services a bit more once his new clinic opens up in the next couple of months.

I can't find the thread, but I remember it's been mentioned on here that he doesn't offer LON/LATN anymore.  Is this true and set in stone?  Is there absolutely no way he could offer it?

[ewf]

So today I found out they serve lunch and dinner at the same time around here. Two pieces of bread and what looks like liver pate

It's a good thing I brought my snacks.

[doomsday]

Arent you concerned about lack of fibula fixation? 

[ewf]

My fibulas are fixated with screws.

Arent you concerned about lack of fibula fixation?

[doomsday]

I dint know Dr Mitkovic does that. Would you be able to upload xray with your legs? Initially I thought that  the device only focuses on tibia bone.

[ewf]

Less than 48 hours post-op. Just started walking with my walker for maybe 5 minutes today, it really comes in handy. I can now stand up straight unaided (100% weight-bearing) for maybe 5 or so seconds at a time before my shins start to ache. This discomfort should go away once I start distracting within the next few days.

Going to take it easy for today and continue my stretches as recommended by Dr. Mitkovic.

[ewf]

I won't be getting my first xray with the device fitted until about the time I get discharged. Maybe 3 days from now. But I will upload some more pictures shortly.

I dint know Dr Mitkovic does that. Would you be able to upload xray with your legs? Initially I thought that  the device only focuses on tibia bone.

[Urmi]

Hello,

can you update your situation? Please also send picture from X-RAY.

[Descreteuser]

Hello,

can you update your situation? Please also send picture from X-RAY.

i share a room with him.. hes doing fine.. started lengthening about 7 days ago.. has no current x rays to show

[Urmi]

Thank you for your answer.

I have a few more questions for you, Descreteuser. Just for info - I want to lengthen 4-5 cm. I read your diary, but I would like to have exact answers to following questions:

1. Do you have any misalighnment? Can you post your last X-ray?
2. What about the scars? Can you also post the picture of your legs now?
3. Was your fibula fixated during operation, so that it could properly lengthen together with tibia?
4. When can you start moving around - I mean after operation? ...If I am correct, you have to wait 1 week, so the inflamation cures and then you can use walker. I read that it is cruical to stretch every day and move arround, beause this encurages the bone formation and also muscles and tendons can stretch.... But when I got emal from dr. Mitkovich there was written"first 3 weeks patient uses wheelchair"...isn't better to start walking before?
5. When can you start using crutches?
6. When can you walk alone - no walker/crutches? I predict this is in 5 months after operation (please confirm...). I assume that after 5 months you should excersise a lot - cycling, some fitness, but not running...
7. I assume that the apliance for lenghtening is weight bearing?
8. As you are in the end of treatment...how is your leg function now? If you can tell in percentage in comparison with your legs before operation.
9. How old are you? Just to know the healing proces...
10. How can you describe the pain? Please describe: first week after operation; first 2 months; afterwards... Can you compare it with some other pain?
11. Can you take shower with this appliance - can it become wet?
12. Are you satisfied now? Would you do it again?
13. Are you satisfied with dr. Mitkovich communication - do you understand him well?
14. How does the clinic look like? Does it look scary - I mean old...?
15. I know the procedure is also psychological stresfull - have you been trough it - do you think have any coincequences?
16. Can the apliance be hidden under pants?...so you can also you out  and nobody sees it?


I would be very greatful if you can answer well on this questions

[ewf]

I haven't added anything to this thread since shortly before I was discharged from the clinic, so I think it's a good time to update anyone interested in hearing about my experience so far.

So after my surgery my legs felt very good. I had good range of motion, I could walk with my walker for short bursts and stand up. I didn't feel the need to request any pain killers for the first two days because I wasn't feeling any pain other than throbbing, but eventually I had to give in, just so I could get a decent night's sleep from the discomfort.

The clinic had an uncomfortable atmosphere. For the first couple of days after my surgery, I was put in a shared room with another patient. The heat was unbearable, with the only air conditioning being a small electric one fitted to a wall down the corridor, coupled with the second hand smoke from staff members, I just wanted to get discharged as soon as possible.

On the third day after the surgery we went to get an xray so that the Doctor could assess the device and that everything was correctly aligned and in place. By this point I was starting to feel some discomfort in my left leg. It felt like something was popping in and out of place between my fibula and my distraction gap, but everything looked fine on the xray.

Once I got out of the clinic and back to the hotel, it was a load off, and I was able to rest easy. I still had discomfort in my left leg, and the swelling was worse than in my right, but I was still able to move around freely.

On day 6 after the surgery I began lengthening. I performed one surface turn and relaxed for 15 minutes. The moment I went to move, the most excruciating pain went through my left leg causing it to spasm uncontrollably. From that point on I had to keep my left leg and ankle in a stationary position whenever I moved, making it almost impossible to get around. For a few days this pain continued until I was able to meet with Dr. Mitkovic back at the clinic while getting my bandages cleaned.

When I got to the clinic, I explained to Dr. Mitkovic what was happening and I moved my left leg and ankle into different positions at his request and when the pain kicked in, he seemed very puzzled, stating that he hasn't seen this before. Then, He took another look at my xray and went on to say that because of the distance between my fibula and tibia gaps were much close on the left leg, the pain would ease up once further distracting has taken place and the bones are no longer rubbing. After this, he bound my foot to the monorail in a stationary position with a bandage as so to prevent me from moving it around to much.

This seemed to help reduce the pain over the next few days while I continued to distract. Within three days, the pain had subsided significantly and I am once again able to move around much more freely. I'm currently up to about 7 MM of distracting and am hoping to go for a private xray some time next week once I hit the 1 CM mark, which I'm greatly looking forward to.

For now, I'm just working on getting my flexibility back to normal after being pretty much immobilized for four solid days. I'm now able to adequately stretch both legs with little to know discomfort at all.

I'll be sure to post an update with pictures once I've had my xray taken next week.

Thanks.

[goals]

hi ewf.i am glad to see that you do this surgery
i want to do this surgery next year with this doctor ,can we communicate with each other .can you help me???

[crusader1980]

How's everything going?