Symes amputee considering revision surgery?

[lucyworrall]

Hello, I've been a symes amputee since I was 4 - I'm 39 now. Over the years I've become more and more demoralised about the lack of options on my prosthetic leg - i.e., only the most basic foot is available to me. I am trying to become more active so I want a foot that will give me better balance as well as comfort and allow me to be far more active than currently. In the back of my mind I have always thought that having revision surgery to create a shorter stump would benefit me and allow me access to better equipment and in the long run enable me to achieve my dream of completing a 100km walk. I know this probably sounds incredibly dramatic but I think at my age, I've passed the benefits of the symes amputation - i.e. Being able to weight- bear on my stump. My children are big enough now that I don't need to dash into them in the night. I know this is a massive decision but I would welcome people's opinions and I'd also like to know who I would need to approach to initiate a discussion about this - my gp or my prosthetist?

Thanks for reading my long post!

[cherylm]

Hi, Lucy, and welcome! Well, I'm not a symes myself, so I hope that we do have a symes somewhere in our membership to give you some first-hand advice......but I have been through a revision surgery recently, which did result in a shorter stump, so I'll offer up my little bit of info and see if someone else can address the symes issue.

I'll start off by noting that a revision surgery is very much like "becoming a brand-new amputee all over again." I've had to deal with all the same issues I had after my initial amputation 12 years ago: post-op pain and swelling, stiffness and resultant physical therapy, and the whole process of "starting from scratch" on the construction of a new prosthesis. It does look like this whole rigamarole will take slightly less TIME than my first recovery, but the issues are identical. It's also an advantage that, having been an amputee for 12 years, I now know what a good prosthesis should feel like and what sort of information my prosthetist needs to provide a good fit.

MY stump is now way too short, so I envy you having a lot of leg to work with. I think it's true that a shorter stump on YOU could give you more prosthetic options. I think the question I'd want to settle is this: is the entire surgery, pain, swelling, rehab, fitting "hassle" worth it to you for what it would yield in the way of prosthetic options. I don't think your G.P. would necessarily have any relevant input on that front, but your prosthetist--and possibly a surgeon experienced in performing below-knee amputations--may well have some helpful advice and opinions.

That's my little bit of input, and I hope it's of some help...now, sympes amps, please join in here!

Good luck in making your decision!