Removal of Scar Tissue?

Hi there,

I had scar tissue removed arthroscopically. There was a massive amount mostly involving my quad/femur. He found scar tissue in the femoral notch. Midline and below is hard to reach arthroscopically from what they told me. Thus the need to open this area up. Does that fit? Mine was done as a day surgery.

I also have a big lump on the lower outside of my knee. Have sent a photo to my ortho and followed up with a call but so far haven't gotten any response. It's either fluid from the joint effusion and/or scar tissue.

Kelly:
I am so sorry you are having issues! I thought you were doing so well!!!
What a bummer.

I am working with a Orthopedic Massage specialist (really, a SADISTIC meanie), but we are reducing the wad of scar tissue I have in back of my knee where the calves/ hamstrings tendons are.

My doc also offered my Arthroscopic removal and I even considered it, but the caveat that he "might need to open the joint" was enough to convince me not to have it done.

It is bothersome, and mostly when I am hiking steep stuff, but slowly things are improving.

I am terrified of opening this joint either arthroscopically or open, because
I am the one who whould get complications and need a revision. (Those of us in the medical field seem to have this dark cloud....I call it "the nurse curse", even though I am not a nurse, weird things typically follow me)
Scar tissue stinks, I wish you well whatever option you choose.

Sandy

Oh it's called the Nurse Curse, eh?

My OS said of course I would be the one with complications because I'm a nurse. The torture of nursing school continues, just in another form!

Kelly I'm sorry to hear of your bump. Let us know what your plan is. I would be a little scared to at the thought of opening it back up and upsetting it again. And more therapy???.....ugh. I'm so tired of therapy. You are such a positive person and am sure you will get through this no matter what you decide!!! You are a trooper!!!

Of course I don't have this experience yet, but I see my surgeon tomorrow and will see what he says since my left knee has been so much longer to heal and took a while to respond to the MUA. Still worried since I'm still needing pain pills at 5 months and can not straighten all the way yet. ROM is doing pretty good though.

After a little more then a year and a half from my BTKR I'm going to have scar tissue removed from both knees. No matter how hard I've worked I just can't get an acceptable range of motion and I still have soft tissue pain. My doc wants to try arthroscopic removal first and if that isn't successful he will open both knees. My biggest concern is being on that stuip CPM machine for 48 hours, that was torture when I was in it for 4 hours after my MUA. Hopefully this does the trick and I can put this whole mess behind me, it's been quite a struggle for me.

I was on a CPM right after my MUA. The tech set the machine wrong which caused quite a bit of discomfort. I could hardly stand it for four hours and now I'm going to be strapped in for 2 days. At this point all I did was swap bone pain for soft tissue pain. I do ride my bike and I have been scuba diving and am able to get on the dive ladder without being gaffed so in general I'm doing pretty well but every peddle stroke hurts and every time I go down stair it hurts. I also can't wquite get my legs under me enough to stat from a chair without pushing off. Of course on the really good side I can walk all day if I wanted to and before the replacements 15-20 minutes was my max.

WOW...... I too had that convo with my OS since the knee just wont go straight even after the MUA. When i walk now, its fairly straight but that ugly bend is there. I cried because I feel like a failure, but when I go to therapy this Friday, we will be doing soft tissue massage on my hamstrings and I will have that Tylenol 1000mg with my tramadol and headset so I can go to another place when she works me over.I think I rather deal with the therapy pain than going arthroscopic, tired of being cut. I will keep you in my prayers since we are going thru the same thing, I will let you know how my appoint goes in a few weeks, I pray i'm walking in with little to no limp!and you will be OK as well!

MsPhyne:
Our leg problems aren't our fault. Sometimes these things happen. My surgeon said that this will fix my ROM problem but he can't guarentee that the scar tissue won't return. If they scar up again he wants to open the whole knee to give him better access. Just the thought of that makes me sick.

Hi Kelly, Sorry to hear about your scar tissue. But really happy to hear how well you have done with both your knees. So the knee that has the scar tissue is from the first surgery. Do you think it has been there all the time or has it just started building? If so, did your doctor say to what may have caused it? Just curious. As for me, I am still dealing with the possibility of another surgery but it is looking like a thicker spacer and tightening the soft tissues may be all I need. I can't wait to get on with my life, like you! You give me lots of inspiration that these knee replacements will work when fine tuned.