Page 117 - BUKU JILID 2 ENGLISH FOR PROFESSIONAL NURSE FIX

c Arrange this jumbled description of medical procedure into a well-organized one
according to its generic structure.

Before the surgery, a general anesthesia will be given to him, and then a cut on the skin near the ankle will
be done. Special screws and plates will be used to put the bones together and hold it in place while the
bone heals. For the surgery, the skin will be fixed with the use of stitches. A temporary plaster cast will be
molded just below the knee up to the toes to secure the ankle in proper alignment and keep it immobile.
The wound may be painful and the doctor will give painkillers to ease the pain as well as antibiotics to
prevent infection. The surgeon performing the operation will give instruction as to when the ankle may
be moved. The surgeon would get the fractured ankle moving before sending her home in around 2-3
days. Appointment will be scheduled. In 10 days, the stitches will be removed and the ankle will be in
plaster cast for approximately six weeks. For the first two weeks, the affected leg should be elevated at rest
several times a day to minimize the risk of further swelling as the cast may impede with the circulation
once the ankle swell. After that, he can also use crutches to move around with support, avoiding weight
on the fractured ankle. Once he is at home, utmost care for the fractured ankle should be done. Plaster
cast should not get wet, cut, or pressed on. He should know that nothing should be put underneath the
cast and the skin inside should not be scratched by anything. If the toes get blue, swollen, and cannot be
moved, or at the presence of numbness or severe pain, he should back to the hospital immediately. The
screws and plates may or may not be removed but if it becomes uncomfortable, it may be removed 18
months after the operation. If the plaster cracks, or becomes soft and loose, it should be brought back to
the plaster technician.

In his case, he should be fully aware that this after surgery may bring some side effects such as fractures,
skin and deep wound infections, and chronic pain . Likewise, infection that spreads to the bone called
osteomyelitis can develop after any surgical procedure that disrupts bone. Then there is the risk of cutting
or damaging nerves and/or blood vessels. Ankle fusion is well-known for complications such as off angles,
poor alignment and deformity, nonunion, and arthritis in the surrounding joints. Altered gait or abnormal
walking pattern is typical with an ankle fusion. And of course, activities like jogging or running will never
be the same if even possible.

A repair with the use of invasive surgery would have the broken ankle heal in about eight to 10 weeks. For
this long period of recovery, he will need a lot of patience, entertainment, and emotional support, easy
access to food and drinks, lots of strength, pain medication and bath chair. Rehabilitation is also very
important. When his physician said that he may start moving your ankle, physical therapy and home
exercises are available and he should start doing it regularly. Eventually, he will also start doing exercises
to strengthen the surrounding muscles of the ankle. It may take several months for the muscles around his
ankle to get strong as before the injury took place. Even after the fracture has healed, an ankle brace may
still be worn for several months.

Hasan, 28-year-old male, was playing basketball when he suddenly felt a tug then a “snap” and intense pain
in his left calf which caused him to drop to the floor. In days, he experienced some problems with his ankle
such as; pain to touch with limited movement of the ankle, swelling and/or bruising on the affected area,
inability to walk or stand and bear weight on the ankle, numbness or tingling sensation on the affected
ankle, and deformity around the ankle. After being examined by orthopedic doctor using an x-ray, he is
diagnosed with a broken ankle. Some treatments have been given by the doctor aimed to minimize the
swelling, to control the pain and minimize damage to surrounding tissues. However, he has not been feeling
better since the fracture is severe. Thus, a surgery is needed for him.

Adapted from https://ehealthwall.com/broken-ankle-symptoms-pictures-treatment-surgery-rehabilitation/

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