Infection: There is a risk of infection at the site of the fracture, which may delay healing and cause pain and swelling.Symptoms can be managed using pain medication and nerve blocks in the foot. Numbness/Tingling in the foot: Depending on the extent of the trauma, the surgery may cause damage to the nerves in the foot, resulting in a sensation of numbness or tingling.
In some cases, hardware may need to be removed. Painful hardware: If metal hardware is used to stabilize the fracture, the patient may experience pain when the hardware rubs against surrounding tissue, bones, or nerves.If this is the case, your doctor will suggest using a bone stimulator or surgery. Nonunion or malunion of the fusion site: If the fracture does not heal properly, the fusion site may not properly unite (nonunion) or may heal in an incorrect position (malunion), resulting in pain, instability, and/or decreased range of motion.Elevating the limb can help reduce swelling. Swelling in the foot for up to a year or more: Due to the inflammation and trauma of the fracture site, swelling of the foot may persist for up to one year or longer.Persisting pain: Patients may experience pain in the surgical foot long after the surgery, due to the disruption of the surrounding soft tissue, the formation of scar tissue, the presence of hardware, and/or any associated nerve damage.Some of the complications that can occur after cuneiform fracture surgery include: Like with any foot surgery, complications can happen. Physical therapy will need to be completed 3 times a week for 1 month.įull recovery after surgery for a cuneiform fracture will take 3 months or longer. Physical therapy can help reduce pain and improve strength/range of motion. You will have to remain off of your foot in a cast/splint for 6-8 weeks after the surgery, with gradual weight bearing in a cast boot for 4 weeks.Īfter your fracture is healed, your doctor will recommend physical therapy. Your surgeon will use plates and screws to repair the fracture. Surgery would be done under anesthesia in the operating room. This will help secure the fracture, reduce pain, and improve stability in the midfoot. In this case, your doctor may choose to repair the fracture by fusing the midfoot. Oftentimes, displaced cuneiform fractures may extend into the joint spaces (intra-articular fractures). If you have a displaced cuneiform fracture (the bone is broken and the fracture fragments are shifted) your doctor will suggest surgery to repair this. This would be followed by 4 weeks of gradual weight bearing and physical therapy.īone healing may be delayed if you smoke or have certain medical conditions like diabetes.įull recovery after a nondisplaced cuneiform fracture could take 3 months. If you have a nondisplaced cuneiform fracture (fracture is broken but in proper alignment), you should remain non-weight bearing in a cast boot/cast for 6-8 weeks to allow the bone to heal. How Are Cuneiform Fractures Treated? Nondisplaced Cuneiform Fractures
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