Question
Dr. Tsatsos,

Hello I'm an otherwise healthy thin male in my mid 40's.  I went to podiatrist recently who ordered MRI on my right foot - just got the report and saw that it said I have an ATFL ligament that was "absent, chronically torn".  All other ligaments and the rest of the mri was normal.  No recent acute injury; I have had foot pain on and off for several years but this was my 1st mri.  Is this a serious problem, and can it be corrected by surgery?  If so, does this surgery have a high likelihood of success?  
Any other comments or thoughts would be helpful.

thanks,

Steve

Answer
Dear Steve,

This Orthopedic Chicago Podiatrist located in West Loop 60661,Roscoe Village 60618, Ukrainian Village 60622, Elmhurst 60126 & Bartlett 60103 says,

We don't treat radiographic findings unless the findings correlate with pathology.
In other words, if it's not broken---don't fix it. If the absence of the ATFL is causing pain, then yoe it can be repaired.

Hope this helps & Good Luck

Dr George Tsatsos, Svetlana Zats, Dr Mariano Rivera, Dr Massard & Dr Kurtz
Chicago 60661, 60618 & 60622, Elmhurst 60126, Bartlett 60103 Podiatrists
Board Certified swimming or wearing a knee bin Foot and Ankle Surgery & Orthopedics
New South Loop Location-Chicago 60661

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