mlwreader
senior
I had a one year appointment with a new OS in my new city, and I really liked him. They took X-rays of both knees and then he went over them with me. He also examined the knees manually.
Would you believe there is a left behind staple in my left knee? When they took the staples out last year, they had missed one, which showed up a few days later after the steri strips came off. The home health care nurse took it out. Well, apparently there was a second staple lurking there. The OS could not feel it by touch and pushing around on the knee cap. He thought we should just leave it be, it will not likely cause any problems. It just leaves me wondering about the after care at my original surgeon's office, because how could they miss two staples?
Anyway, the new OS commented that the patellas were both a little off center, which he said doesn't happen a lot, but is not a big issue. He also thought the implant on the left knee was a bit bigger than it should be. Interestingly the left knee has been great these last months, the right one still hurts going up stairs. But he said the right knee implant is a perfect fit.
He said since the implants look good in both knees, he surmises that the discomfort that I feel going upstairs in the right knee could be scar tissue. He asked me if the pain was as bad as it was prior to surgery, and I replied not even close. It really doesn't interfere with my getting around, I just notice it going upstairs for the most part, and sometimes towards the end of my walk. And I wouldn't even call it pain, more like discomfort. In that case, he said, he is there if I need him, if more of a problem develops, and otherwise he wants me back for another X-ray in a year to check on things. After that, if all is well, back in five years.
I want to ask your opinion, you bonesmarties, do you think I should let my original surgeon who performed the surgery know about the staple? I'm not even sure the information would even get to the doctor, if I sent a message to the patient portal. I just feel like that whole staple removal was so sloppy. It happened the day I was in for a follow up look at the incision, because I had been treated for cellulitis. The gal who removed the staples was in training. Later, after a few days, when the steri strips were off, my daughter in law noticed the staple in my knee when I was sitting across from her in the living room. It was kind of twinkling in the sunlight was how she saw it. The home health care nurse removed it quickly and easily the next day. So it wasn't a big deal. At the time, although it was very stressful for me, what with the infection and the drugs and like that.
I want to say I should just let it go, and focus on the miracle of the knee replacement and all the life that has opened to me as a result. Also, would they even want to know? The young woman who did the removal is long gone, as her training year was up the next week, if I remember correctly. And my doctor has probably performed lots and lots of surgeries since last year, and won't even remember who I am, I am sure, if he even gets the message.
What do you think? And what do you think about the new doctor's supposition that the discomfort in my right knee on the stairs is possibly from scar tissue? It's in a specific are of the knee, on the inside, right at the joint.
Anyway, happy to get a year under my belt. My ROM, stability, walking, all of it is excellent. He said I did a good job - haha because we know I did very little PT. The end.
Would you believe there is a left behind staple in my left knee? When they took the staples out last year, they had missed one, which showed up a few days later after the steri strips came off. The home health care nurse took it out. Well, apparently there was a second staple lurking there. The OS could not feel it by touch and pushing around on the knee cap. He thought we should just leave it be, it will not likely cause any problems. It just leaves me wondering about the after care at my original surgeon's office, because how could they miss two staples?
Anyway, the new OS commented that the patellas were both a little off center, which he said doesn't happen a lot, but is not a big issue. He also thought the implant on the left knee was a bit bigger than it should be. Interestingly the left knee has been great these last months, the right one still hurts going up stairs. But he said the right knee implant is a perfect fit.
He said since the implants look good in both knees, he surmises that the discomfort that I feel going upstairs in the right knee could be scar tissue. He asked me if the pain was as bad as it was prior to surgery, and I replied not even close. It really doesn't interfere with my getting around, I just notice it going upstairs for the most part, and sometimes towards the end of my walk. And I wouldn't even call it pain, more like discomfort. In that case, he said, he is there if I need him, if more of a problem develops, and otherwise he wants me back for another X-ray in a year to check on things. After that, if all is well, back in five years.
I want to ask your opinion, you bonesmarties, do you think I should let my original surgeon who performed the surgery know about the staple? I'm not even sure the information would even get to the doctor, if I sent a message to the patient portal. I just feel like that whole staple removal was so sloppy. It happened the day I was in for a follow up look at the incision, because I had been treated for cellulitis. The gal who removed the staples was in training. Later, after a few days, when the steri strips were off, my daughter in law noticed the staple in my knee when I was sitting across from her in the living room. It was kind of twinkling in the sunlight was how she saw it. The home health care nurse removed it quickly and easily the next day. So it wasn't a big deal. At the time, although it was very stressful for me, what with the infection and the drugs and like that.
I want to say I should just let it go, and focus on the miracle of the knee replacement and all the life that has opened to me as a result. Also, would they even want to know? The young woman who did the removal is long gone, as her training year was up the next week, if I remember correctly. And my doctor has probably performed lots and lots of surgeries since last year, and won't even remember who I am, I am sure, if he even gets the message.
What do you think? And what do you think about the new doctor's supposition that the discomfort in my right knee on the stairs is possibly from scar tissue? It's in a specific are of the knee, on the inside, right at the joint.
Anyway, happy to get a year under my belt. My ROM, stability, walking, all of it is excellent. He said I did a good job - haha because we know I did very little PT. The end.