One knee or two

[Bassetguy]

I was wondering what everyone had to say about getting both knees done at the same time instead of one and then the other a few months later. Can you give me some ideas on which is better or worse? I'd like to get it over but I have a hard time imagining getting around without at least one knee that hasn't been operated on.:dogkiss:

 

[referee54]

I had a BTKR three years ago, and, while it was tough (very tough!), it was the way to have them done---at least for me.I knew that I needed both knees done; my doctor said that my health and my age were good so he had no problem doing a BTKR. I was very happy to get both done at the same time and I am thrilled at where I am now in terms of what I can do.

That being said, many surgeons do not do them---it may have to with the health of the patient, the age, and whether or not they can get by literally without a knee for a while. There are risks involved, and there is more time sent in the operating theater.

Having both knees done at the same time is more challenging, but it can reduce the amount of time spent rehabbing--you rehab both at the same time. Others like the idea of having at least one "good knee" to use while the other one gets rehabbed---there is significant atrophy and that happens rather quickly o the surgical knee.

To me, it is like, "Pick your poison." The end results are tremendous; when doing both at the same time, you reduce the amount of time that you mat be in rehab; when you do them one at a time, you have a longer time recess, but it may be easier as you have a good knee.

Tim C.

 

[bogey]

I can only speak to doing both at once. I'll be seven weeks out tomorrow and things really couldn't be better. For me the thought of doing everything, blood work, x-rays, donate autologous blood, anesthesia, surgery, hospital stay and rehab twice just didn't make sense. As long as you and your doctor believe you're healthy enough I'd say go for the double. The first two weeks was pretty tough. Thank God I had my wife around the first week home; she made it much easier for me. Since then that light at the end of my tunnel has just gotten bigger and brighter. All the best with your decision and your surgeries. You'll be glad you did it either way.

 

[Knitter4444]

I too had both done at the same time..nearly 6 months ago. I had no choice..I didn't have a good leg to stand on and PT would have not been possible. It isn't easy but neither is having one done. I am so glad that I did it this way. It would take a lot of energy going back for a second once I had been through it once. Sure the results were great..but it has not been the easiest time. I am glad that I took the whammy the first time

 

[maryo52]

Everyone I know (three people) who did both at once were glad they did.

I was once told that doing both at once increases the risk of blood clots, if I remember correctly. You'll get a lot of good input here but hopefully you're also writing down a list of questions for your ortho.

 

[Josephine]

Actually there's no better or worse about it. It's just different.

#1. There are some situations where it would be ill advised, like if the patient had previous conditions like heart problems, lung problems or other things.
#2. Then again, it's often the surgeon who casts a shadow over doing a both at once as a bilateral is hard work for him, the anaesthetist and the team, so some choose not to do them and give item #1 as a reason rather than take the shine off their egos! :th_heehee:

 

[2kneesdone]

I am 10 weeks out from btkr. It has been a very tough road and I'm still experiencing pain, swelling and stiffness. I went back to work at 8 weeks and I think that has a lot to do with it since I have to sit and cannot put my feet up for hours at a time. I believe that recovery may be quicker with one knee at a time but I could not imagine taking time off work, going through another surgery, and then all the PT required afterwards. I decided it was 2 knees at the same time or none.

 

[Max Wallace]

I had both at once one surgery, two surgeons,one recovery I did two because I was afraid that if the pain and recovery from one was very intense I might delay the second surgery and not be in any better shape after all. I have no way of knowing about recovery from one as opposed to two here is how mine went. Day one after surgery stand take two steps forward two steps back and that's it. Day two stand and walk twenty feet day three stand and walk 50 feet. The pain was minimal compared to pre surgery and I could tell it was a different type of pain (soft tissue as opposed to bones) The fourth day I was transferred to a rehab facility and was there for 7 days. During that time I had PT every day for one hour twice a day. PT consisted of leg exercises, stretches, bends, walking with a walker, getting in and out of chairs, beds, showers and going up and down stairs. I had very little swelling and so had good extension and flexion without much pain. The time I spent outside of PT was icing, elevating, resting and spending lots of time using a passive motion machine ( with both legs going it was like riding a bike in bed) When I left the rehab facility I felt I was self sufficient enough to be at home alone with minimal help. I used the walker when I went out for about a week but after that I left it at home. The first 2 months were trying but after that I could see daily improvement and at 6 months was almost back to normal activity. At two years+ I have no limitations and life is great!

Best wishes!

 

[much2do]

Once again, I think Josephine is right on target! I would only add, to consider your current physical condition, the better your current condition and overall health, the better I believe you will do.

My OS would not do a BTKR (for many reasons discussed before on this forum); I final talked him into doing one on 11/17, second on 12/1 (actually 8 and 6 weeks today??). My situation was complicated because I live in a two story house; my 1st, the RTKR replaced by "bad" knee, no problem I knew I still would have the "good" left knee, which always pulled me up the stairs and it would still be working fine, but the concern was what would I do when they cut out that good one! On about day 12th day I was able to use the new knee to pull myself up the stairs.
Today I am making the stairs normally and (almost) without the use of the banister.
I must also add that during this time I think I lost 2-3 weeks of rehab, not because of the knees, but because of secondary issues with meds etc. Unfortunately, during this time I could never do more than a half hour rehab a day else it would totally exhaust me and for the next two days,and then all I could do was to lay around the house.
So I have been to my GP to help correct the "side effects" problem and yesterday I went to back to work, at least it something to do.
In retrospect, "how would I do it if I had to do it again?" Exactly what I did! It has worked out perfectly for me. If I were about 60 years old and you ask me that question, I would probably have a great hesitation in my answer.
Keep in mind, no two people are alike, no two knees are the same.
Good luck, you'll be fine!

 

[jodi]

Don't know but for me I thought 1 knee 1 pain 2 knees double the pain, but what do I know I choose only 1TKR & that is painful.

 

[marennorge]

I had mine done 9 weeks apart, and that worked out fine. I had tremendous incentive to work hard on the PT for my first one knowing that the second was just down the road. Besides, I wanted to spend the summer and fall recovering before the snow and ice hit the ground. My OS would not do 2 at once anyway, but my weight and age probably would have made having 2 done simultaneously a difficult proposition. If your OS is agreeable, it's your choice, but consider as an option having some small amount of time between the two surgeries.