TKR Blisters after surgery??

[JessysMom]

Hi all! I had my left knee replacement surgery on November 13, 2018, and was discharged from the hospital on November 15, 2018. PT got me up out of bed and did a little walking the day after. At the first home visit of PT, he wanted to see the surgery site. All the bandage I had was a thick gauze pad over the incision with a sock-like thing up over that. We were both shocked when we saw 4 big blisters. They are quarter sized blisters. Plus one was leaking. I called the hospital and they had me come in to check it out. I was told it happens sometimes and to not worry. Anyone else ever hear about blisters after TKR? Just to be sure I'm going in today to see the surgeons assistant (Surgeon isn't in the office today). It has me a little worried. Later!

 

[Ceegee]

I had blisters too - it was a slight allergic reaction to the glue in the dressing. I was told to keep them clean and let them heal. They went away after a week or so.

 

[Jaycey]

Ceegee is right, sounds like a reaction to the adhesive in the dressing. Many people have this reaction. Just keep the area clean and dry.

 

[Larryhg3]

I also have had incision blisters after both of my TKR. I have been told that some people just get them. I am to leave them alone and they will clear up. So far mine have.

 

[Celle]

Hello @JessysMom - and

Those blisters are caused by swelling. They're called fracture blisters and, while not common, they do happen from time to time.
Keep them dry and they should heal gradually.

Here is the post-op reading we give to everyone - lots of useful articles here:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now; they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs


The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?

Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key

Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly

Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

Please don't be overwhelmed by the list. The articles are not long and they and contain information that will answer many questions and help you make your recovery much easier on your knee and on you.

We are here to help in any way we can: answering questions and concerns; supporting and encouraging you from start to finish.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Josephine]

We were both shocked when we saw 4 big blisters. Anyone else ever hear about blisters after TKR?

Yes, heaps of people. They are, as others said, a reaction to the adhesive in the dressing or they could be fracture blisters, so called because they mostly happen around fractures, but in this case would be from the trauma of the surgery. They can also be a by-product of bruising. The key is to not ever puncture the blister but cover it up with a dressing to protect it. Read this thread for more information.

I would criticise whoever told you that it 'just happens' because she should have known and explained the reasons why. Bad nursing!

 

[NoShortCut]

I recently had a TKR, complete with blisters. Most of mine were smaller than a dime and filled with blood, but one was filled with a yellow/green mucus. This sent me into a panic over infection, but I was told it was not an uncommon allergic reaction. I was put on antibiotics as a precaution and the whole thing cleared up in about a week.