The ankle ligament reconstruction procedure is performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia with a nerve block for post-op pain relief. The nerve block typically lasts 24 hours. The procedure most commonly performed for the lateral ankle is a Gould Modified Brostrum reconstruction, where local, adjacent tissue is anchored into the ankle bone to recreate the ankle ligaments. This repair is sometimes augmented with an internal synthetic suture brace for higher demand patients or revision surgeries. Many patients with ankle instability also have a contracture of the calf muscle which exacerbates the instability. For those patients, a calf lengthening procedure may also be performed under the same anesthesia. After the procedure is complete, a splint is applied to the ankle. This procedure typically takes less than 30 minutes to perform.
- Typically, the patient ambulates with crutches or a walker for the first 2 weeks, while they are wearing a splint. Two weeks after the surgery the splint is removed, and the patient transitions to a walking boot. The patient may bear weight in a walking boot. The boot is worn 23 hours per day and may be removed for bathing.
- At 6 weeks post op, patients transition to a lace up ankle brace which is worn for weight bearing activities. Patients may also begin Physical Therapy at this stage. Patients may return to sports activities by 10-12 weeks post op.
