BRISTOL, Conn.--There is hope for those who suffer from chronic ankle pain.
Bristol Hospital’s Center for Orthopedic and Spine Health now offers arthroscopic ankle surgery which repairs and relieves pain caused by damaged cartilage or chronic ankle joint inflammation. Podiatrist, and foot ankle and surgeon, Peter Bellezza, DPM, MS, said that he is seeing an increasing number of patients who are requiring arthroscopic ankle procedures to address their chronic pain issues.
“Candidates for arthroscopic ankle surgery are those whose ankle pain hasn’t been cured using other conservative treatment methods,” said Dr. Bellezza. “This is a minimally invasive procedure that allows me to fix chronic ankle soreness that may have resulted from sprains in the past.”
Dr. Bellezza added that depending on the severity of the injury, arthroscopic ankle surgery is usually an outpatient procedure and the recovery time is much faster than regular open surgery. As part of the procedure, Dr. Bellezza makes two small incisions otherwise known as “ankle portals,” and after expanding the ankle joint, he inserts an arthroscope that allows him to inspect the damaged area by using live video images in the operating room.
Using ankle arthroscopy Dr. Bellezza can perform what is called “microfracture” to help patients with chronic ankle pain from damaged ankle cartilage. Once Dr. Bellezza locates the damaged cartilage, he will use special tools to remove the damaged cartilage from the ankle. He will then drill small holes into the bone to cause bleeding. The blood will then clot over time forming a fibrous scar which takes the place of the damaged cartilage and this improves ankle pain. Dr. Bellezza also has training in various cartilage replacement procedures which he performs using ankle arthroscopy.
“Cartilage defects can vary by size and severity requiring different procedures to be performed. The ankle scope system allows me to treat complicated ankle joint pathologies through minimally invasive means” said Dr. Bellezza.
“Following most ankle arthroscopy surgeries, I recommend that my patients stay off of their feet for at least one week,” Dr. Bellezza added. “After that first week, I recommend that they wear a walking boot for the next three to four weeks.”
Although there are numerous causes of chronic ankle pain, the most common are ankle sprains which occur after a fall, sudden twist or blow to the ankle joint. About 40 percent of those who suffer an ankle sprain will experience chronic ankle pain.
"When patients suffered a sprained ankle, the injury may not seem serious at first," said Dr. Bellezza. "People often don’t seek medical attention and think that it will just get better on its own. This is why this condition often goes undiagnosed and often worsens over time."
For an appointment with Dr. Peter Bellezza, please call Bristol Hospital’s Center for Orthopedic and Spine Health, 860-585-3333.