Lesser Toe Correction Surgery | Dr Graff

The Hospital Stay

You will wake up with a moonboot
Your foot will be elevated overnight, and you have antibiotics through a drip
You will need blood thinning medications to thin your blood and vitamin C 1g daily
You will stay in hospital for 1-2 nights with antibiotics, blood thinners, regular paracetamol, regular laxatives, regular vitamin C and stronger pain killers to take if and when required
You will be only allowed to touch your foot to the ground for 2 weeks for balance
Depending on your balance and strength, you may need rehabilitation post-operatively

You will need medications for pain relief; regular paracetamol (2 tablets four times a day) is recommended, as well as strong pain killers, especially at night before bed. These can have side effects of drowsiness, nausea and constipation, and other tablets to help with these side effects may be required.
You will need blood-thinning medication to prevent blood clots and vitamin C 1 g daily for 6-12 weeks.
You will need a shower chair and bags to keep the moonboot dry for the first 2-3 weeks.
You will need to attend your post op appointment in 2-3 weeks where the wounds will be checked.
After this, you will be able to shower with a shower chair out of the boot.

ALL patients are different. These timelines are only a guide, and some patients may progress faster or slower than others.

You will be in a moonboot full time for 2-3 weeks; please treat this like a plaster and do not remove it
You will only be allowed to touch your foot to the ground for balance.
Please keep your foot elevated and out of bed for toilet only
You will need to bag the leg for showers
Pain relief: Please take regular paracetamol with meals and before bed; stronger painkillers are often needed, especially before bed
Please take antibiotics, blood thinning medications and vitamin C for 6-12 weeks as prescribed

Post op appointment: dressings are changed and an x-ray is taken
You can then take the foot out of the boot for showers but wear it for bedtime
You can start static strengthening. range of motion and balance exercises with physio
If you do not have a syndesmosis injury, you can start progressive weightbearing in a boot
If you have a syndesmosis injury, please follow post op rehabilitation as per 'Syndesmosis Injury Surgery'

You will have an x-ray
If you do not have a syndesmosis injury, you can fully weightbear in supportive sneakers (you will still have ongoing swelling)
You can start swimming and cycling

You may have another appointment and an x-ray
If the bones are healed, you may be discharged
Some patients request removal of the metal as it can be quite prominent; this will be a minor second surgery

If you want more information or have any questions or problems, please contact Dr Graff at admin@christygraff.com or call the rooms at 0493 461 133.