Re: ATTT/detached tendon

[Guest guest]

Hi Dan

As far as I know, my son, Jake, is the only child on these boards who's had the

ATTT done twice. Dr Dietz could tell at Jake's first follow-up appt after his

first surgery, that he would probably need the surgery re-done. The tendon had

pulled out a bit from the bone and wasn't working well at pulling his foot

upwards. There was a little lump on the top of his foot where the tendon was

placed. Dr Dietz said this was because of the tendon pulling out.

Jake's main symptom was that he didn't lift his foot well while walking. It

looked kind of like foot-drop, if you've ever seen that. His foot didn't curve

inwards, it was still pretty straight. Let me be perfectly clear though, this

didn't slow Jake down in the least. He could walk & run just like the other

kids, never complained of any pain, and never seemed to get tired easily or

anything. Our concern, and why we went ahead with another ATTT so soon, was

because Jake's foot was still very flexible. If we waited too long and his foot

started to stiffen up, then he would have required surgery involving the joint

spaces (which can cause kids foot pain as adults).

Let me know if you need more info or have more questions!

Kassia

3/22/01 (Lt clubfoot, ATTT #2 Oct 2005)

and 1/22/02

[Guest guest]

Hi Kassia,

Thanks for the info. I do have a couple of questions. Was jake able to bring

his foot up to neutral and did the lump disappear when he did pull up? Emma

had both feet worked on but the right has a more prominent lumpy area.

However, it only appears when her feet are dangling. If she pulls up the

area tightens up and there is no sign of a lump. She is also able to bring

her foot to neutral just like the left one.

Was it easier on Jake the second time around?

Thanks again,

Dan

Re: ATTT/detached tendon

Hi Dan

As far as I know, my son, Jake, is the only child on these boards who's

had the ATTT done twice. Dr Dietz could tell at Jake's first follow-up appt

after his first surgery, that he would probably need the surgery re-done.

The tendon had pulled out a bit from the bone and wasn't working well at

pulling his foot upwards. There was a little lump on the top of his foot

where the tendon was placed. Dr Dietz said this was because of the tendon

pulling out.

Jake's main symptom was that he didn't lift his foot well while walking.

It looked kind of like foot-drop, if you've ever seen that. His foot didn't

curve inwards, it was still pretty straight. Let me be perfectly clear

though, this didn't slow Jake down in the least. He could walk & run just

like the other kids, never complained of any pain, and never seemed to get

tired easily or anything. Our concern, and why we went ahead with another

ATTT so soon, was because Jake's foot was still very flexible. If we waited

too long and his foot started to stiffen up, then he would have required

surgery involving the joint spaces (which can cause kids foot pain as

adults).

Let me know if you need more info or have more questions!

Kassia

3/22/01 (Lt clubfoot, ATTT #2 Oct 2005)

and 1/22/02

[Guest guest]

Hi Kassia,

Thanks, I do feel better about her foot. The soft lump is my main concern.

Emma can bring her foot up well and walks well when she's in a hurry. In the

house she prefers putting the fronts of her feet down first. I have to keep

reminding her not to do that but it goes in one ear and out the other. When

she runs she also uses the front of her feet but I think that she's always

done that. I'm probably worrying for nothing....

How is Jake doing now? You had mentioned that he couldn't stand with his

feet flat before the surgery.

Your husband would probably be charged double if he ever needed to have

those flippers casted. : )

Dan

Re: ATTT/detached tendon

Hi Dan

> Was jake able to bring

> his foot up to neutral and did the lump disappear when he did pull up?

Jake was only able to lift his foot a little. He could flex his toes up,

but not his entire foot. I don't remember about the lump as to whether it

disappeared or stayed, although I would assume it stayed.

> Was it easier on Jake the second time around?

That is kind of hard to say. He definitely understood more about what was

going on. He had different anesthesia this time; the first time they tried

to give him a caudal anesthetic (basically like an epidural women get in

labor, but lower on the spine) but they were unable to place it. He spent

the first day & overnight that time kind of gorked on a morphine drip and

was pukey from the morphine, but was fine the next day when they switched

him over to oral pain medication. The second time, we had a different

anesthesiologist and he put a nerve block directly into his leg, which

worked great until about 2am when it wore off and Jake was in agony. Of

course the morphine drip didn't work so he got switched to oral pain meds

overnight, which worked fairly well. Jake " behaved " better after surgery

too; he definitely does NOT want to have surgery again so he followed

instructions as far as being non-weightbearing to a T.

From what you've said about your daughter, it sounds like she is doing

very well, able to lift her feet etc. Is the lump on top of her foot your

only concern? That could just be the way she's built...my husband has a

lump on top of both of his feet and he has normal feet (well, as normal as

size 13s can be lol!).

Kassia

3/22/01 (Lt clubfoot, ATTT #2 October 2005)

and 11/22/02

[Guest guest]

Dan-

Does Emma walk on tip-toes? How loose is her achilles tendon? Jake did that

prior to his 2nd surgery, mainly because his achilles was so tight. It was kind

of interesting actually; we'd had an appt in June at which I asked Dr. Dietz if

he would do another achilles tenotomy on Jake, and he said at that time probably

not, that his achilles seemed to be flexible enough. By Jake's pre-op

appointment in October, though, Dr. Dietz said he would definitely need another

tenotomy and he was surprised how tight it had become.

Jake is walking really well now. When he's tired, though, he tends to turn his

foot outwards....but he still walks nice & flat. A couple weeks ago I took him

to Stride Rite to get new shoes, and his left foot is now only a half size

smaller than his right!! How wonderful not to have to buy two different shoe

sizes!! (his feet were a size and a half apart before surgery) In any case he

only walks on tip toes when he *wants to* now, not because he *has to.* And his

foot looks just great.

btw my husband calls his feet skis. *grin*

Kassia

Jake 3/22/01 (Lt clubfoot, ATTT #2 October 2005)

and 11/22/02