TKR Can't straighten leg or walk eleven weeks post op

[JamesAB]

Hi, thought you might like an update on my recovery following my Patella resurfacing on January 5th:

Pain not too bad and easily manageable with paracetamol. Experiencing quite a degree of swelling but I expect this to reduce before too long.
Having some trouble sleeping, I'm waking up every 75 minutes or so either to use my urine bottle or waking up prompts me to do so! This is a real pain!
I find it difficult to turn over in bed at the moment and I tend to rotate every so often which is not doing my vulnerable back much good.
I have been doing various exercises to get the knee mobile.
Relying heavily on the bannisters I can haul myself up to the attic where I spend most of the day playing games on my Computer! (It's an ill wind, as they say)
Tomorrow I have to change the wound dressing. The dressing is quite impregnated with dried blood (The wound stopped bleeding about 48 hours ago)

I phoned the hospital to ask how I should clean the wound (not having any sterile solutions) and they said don't, just peel the dressing off and apply the new one. I think I'll probably have to clean the area of skin where the dressing adhesive will be applied as some blood has seeped through, but that's all. The dressing is licenced for 7 days and on the 16th January can be removed completely. No clips were uses to close the wound, just dissolvable sutures.

Regards, Jim

 

[Jaycey]

@JamesAB Thanks for the update! I was wondering how you were getting on. Sounds like a fairly normal recovery.

Experiencing quite a degree of swelling but I expect this to reduce before too long.

Are you icing and elevating? Ice for 45-60 minutes several times per day. This will reduce the swelling

Having some trouble sleeping, I'm waking up every 75 minutes or so either to use my urine bottle or waking up prompts me to do so! This is a real pain!

They pump you full of fluids before, during and after the procedure. This frequency should ease with time.

If you are at all worried about changing the dressing, see if you can get an appointment with a nurse at your GP. They can access the wound and clean it if necessary.

Early days - hang in there!

 

[JamesAB]

@Jaycey Errmm, I haven't been Icing as I have been amusing myself playing games on my PC so as not to get bored.
I am not concerned about changing the dressing. It is saturated with dried blood and I would have assumed that a gentle clean using say, soapy water with an added medical disinfectant, around the wound would be appropriate
I shall just use common sense. I may have to wet the area if the "Aerogel?" dressing is stuck to the wound.

Jim

 

[Jaycey]

Errmm, I haven't been Icing as I have been amusing myself playing games on my PC so as not to get bored.

Even if you ice while your playing games is would work. Elevating at the same time does work better. But icing will significantly decrease the swelling.

Just don't wet the wound too much and be sure it's dry before you apply the new dressing. Yup - common sense.

 

[Jamie]

Thanks for the update. It does sound like you're doing just fine. I hope you give the ice a try. It does work for swelling. If you apply it for long periods, just be sure you have a towel between the ice source and your skin so that you don't get freezer burn.

 

[JamesAB]

@Jamie, @Jaycey

Good morning, A traumatic start to the day as the laxatives finally did their work. Fortunately, I was in the right place at the right time!
Changed the dressing this morning and took multiple photos of the procedure for my Family Photo Database!
Removal was easy, all but the two lower steri-strips came off with the dressing, I decided to leave them alone. The wound looked clean and there were no bad odours or evidence of any weepings. My wife cleaned around the wound with warm water containing some of the pre-op solution that you shower with to reduce the chance of MRSA, and some personal antiseptic. I had had no instruction on applying the "Opsite post-op visible" dressing but it wasn't too difficult to figure out.
The leg is becoming more mobile, less painful and I have started icing. I will try putting some weight on it soon as the absence of pain while doing this will indicate success of the procedure.
Nothing more to do now until dressing is removed in seven days.

 

[sistersinhim]

Yay, you got this step behind you! It's step-by-step to the finish line!

 

[JamesAB]

This morning I noticed that the lower third of the new dressing had adsorbed some blood. I wondered if I should cease the blood thinning injections so I phoned the ward. They asked if any liquid blood was visible which there wasn't. So just to carry on as before for the moment. I am trying to stretch the leg quite a bit, particularly when in bed which might have caused the bleeding? Otherwise everything is ok with any pain easily controlled by a couple of paracetamol.

 

[Jaycey]

@JamesAB If you are having blood thinning injections, every little bump or stretch can cause bleeding. Just take it a bit easy for now.

Good news that the pain is well managed!

 

[JamesAB]

@Jaycey. Thanks for the information. Take it Easy "R" Us!

 

[JamesAB]

I don't know how many of you will be interested, but I have just received a copy of the clinical letter sent to my GP following my recent patella resurfacing:

I was born with mild cerebral palsy and as a result of this I have severe hamstring tightness, an adduction contracture of the right hip joint and 10° of fixed flexion deformity. (All made plain to me by Google!)

In summary, this led to some problems getting access to the patella but eventually it was released, a facetectomy carried out ( a flat surface prepared?) and a standard (Vanguard) button fitted. The patella was reduced, which I take to mean that unnecessary bits of it were removed and the patella tracked normally.

Sounds like good news to me. Still some bleeding but reducing. Leg becoming more mobile and less of a dead weight. Swelling a little less but I haven't done any elevation. :-( Slowly putting more weight on it but I won't try to use my Zimmer until I finish with dressings in five days.

Quietly confident that I'm heading in the right direction!

Regards, Jim

 

[Jaycey]

All sounds very promising @JamesAB ! Ice and elevate if you can to get that swelling reduced.

 

[Jamie]

This is hopeful news. You bet we're always interested in these details here on BoneSmart! Thanks for providing the update.

 

[JamesAB]

No more bleeding overnight, leg feels fairly mobile but because of my disability and the swelling, the leg does not straighten easily but, based on my experience with the previous TKR it will with time. Swelling of the upper leg is virtually gone but the lower leg and particularly, the foot, it is quite considerable. I have iced on the foot but elevating is difficult since I'm spending my days at my PC in our "Study/Office" in the attic. Gives me plenty to do and I don't get bored. If the swelling is still bad tomorrow, I'll spend some time on the bed with my foot on a stool having words of wisdom with Alexa who I will get to read to me to keep me entertained!
Still no sign of the pain that, before the Patella resurfacing, kept me in a wheelchair for over four years.

 

[Jaycey]

Still no sign of the pain that, before the Patella resurfacing, kept me in a wheelchair for over four years.

Wow - this is the best news! Fingers crossed this continues.

 

[sistersinhim]

Except for the swelling, it sounds like you are doing great! You know what to do for the swelling, so I won't preach to you. It is great to hear that your surgery was a success and got rid of that lingering pain!

 

[JamesAB]

Good morning. Swelling noticeably reduced this morning. Striving to put more and more weight on the leg when climbing upstairs - still relying mostly on bannisters of course. Only two more injections to guard against DVT and then the day after the dressing comes off and I can give the scar a good scrub with a wire brush!!

I look forward to catching up on all the minor house maintenance jobs (my wife has an increasingly long list) that I have been unable to do. Not to mention a nice aid-free walk around the garden.

My wife has been absolutely brilliant in looking after me over the 4+ years that |I have had this problem and I think a nice holiday would not come amiss.

 

[JamesAB]

Hello,

Removed the dressing today. My sister-in-law thinks the scar looks like the Grand Canyon! Tiny bit of bleeding that stopped in a few seconds. I decided not to apply another dressing and to leave it open. Swelling slowly reducing and leg feeling slightly less like a log. Difficult to straighten leg and I won't be able to really test it till I can but I'm heading in the right direction. No sign of pain I had before the surgery.

 

[Jaycey]

Great update @JamesAB ! Seems that pain is behind you. Don't stress about range of motion. Still very early days!

 

[Hip4life]

The scars are always a bit off-putting at first, aren’t they? Especially to people they don’t belong to!
These are great, encouraging updates. It does sound like you’re on the right path. Blessings for continued good healing.