Heather had bunion surgery performed by consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mr Maneesh Bhatia.
I was referred to Mr Bhatia at Spire Leicester hospital in January 2017 and after an MRI scan I was diagnosed with having a marked left hallux valgus deformity, marked arthritis of the right metatarsophalangeal joint and right calcaneocuboid joint, marked effusion of my left ankle joint and bilateral lateral ligament complex damage.
I was advised that surgery and steroid injections would be advisable in order to relieve the pain and discomfort I was experiencing.
I had previously had surgery in 2005 in Northampton to remove a bunion on my right foot. I was advised then that I needed the same surgery on my left foot. However after the surgery on my right foot, I suffered severe pain as a result of my foot becoming infected and was re-admitted to hospital for 10 days and treated with antibiotics. Unfortunately I also developed a keloid scar on my right foot.
As a result of this experience I had doubts as to whether I wanted to put myself in such a vulnerable position again. After speaking with Mr Bhatia and advising him of my concerns, I made the decision to go ahead with the surgery at Spire Leicester Hospital.
I had the surgery during the second week in March. The pain post-surgery and during my recovery was minimal and the arthritis pain seems to have disappeared. By the end of May I was walking without my boot. I have attended a few events where I have had to walk for a considerable length of time but had minimal swelling. It is now August and the swelling has almost disappeared. I was also worried that I might get keloid scarring on my left foot as I had after my previous surgery, but my left foot has healed very well.
I would highly recommend Mr Bhatia for any foot surgery; not only did he listen to my concerns with empathy but he was also very patient with me given my bad experiences previously. Thank you Mr Bhatia.