Concern over implant size [knee]

[Weezl]

It's over 5 mos since my TKR and my knee is still swollen and feels numb to the touch. Is this normal? Some of the posted pics show normal size knees after less time. Could my implant be too big??? I hate to obsess but should I expect the new knee to be the same size as my real knee??? I can wear heels but I would sure like to wear shorts or a skirt. I don't care about the incision, just the size. When I go out on the boat I wear shorts and cover the knee with an ace bandage if I dock anywhere. By the way, I found out that my shoulder needs to be replaced and cannot be repaired. Osteoarthritis really s--ks! I plug along at the gym and roll with the punches. As we all do, I work hard to overcome these problems......why is the knee so big??????

 

[Josephine]

I'd pretty much stake my reputation on it not being the prosthesis. Surgeons always take such care to ensure the right fit and if they got the wrong size, the tissues wouldn't close up readily when they stitched up the wound. It would take a grade A great deal of time and thought goes into the choice. The surgeon has a mock up of every size of the prosthesis available on the instrument tray and uses several in trial reductions to make sure he gets just the right one.

So my bet is that you have an excess of scar tissue and swelling deep inside the knee. It would also go along with the numbness.

Why don't you post a photo of it so I can see? Preferably both knees so I can compare.

 

[dw6928]

when I was on the table for my TKR last January, the OS discovered that Zimmer had sent a prothesis that was the wrong size. With Zimmer surgeries, there is always a rep in the OR w/the surgeon. He went to the Zimmer facility and procured the correct size. No way was he putting in an ill-fitting knee.

 

[1jt@atime]

Weez, this had been a concern of mine also and I had just gotten to the point that I referred to my new knee as a man knee. It is/was definitely larger by an inch plus around, less rounded and flat across the top then my original knee. I tried to take a picture of the difference last week before I had knee number two replaced and I'll attach it here. I'm not sure it comes across in the pic but maybe.

The mechanics of the knee works fine so I didn't think size/fit was an issue. I think that realistically, we all have knees that look just a tiny bit different and there is no way they could make the prothesis look identical to each knee. That's what I've settled on in my mind, anyway. :D)

 

[ship4]

Weez, this had been a concern of mine also and I had just gotten to the point that I referred to my new knee as a man knee. It is/was definitely larger by an inch plus around, less rounded and flat across the top then my original knee. I tried to take a picture of the difference last week before I had knee number two replaced and I'll attach it here. I'm not sure it comes across in the pic but maybe.

The mechanics of the knee works fine so I didn't think size/fit was an issue. I think that realistically, we all have knees that look just a tiny bit different and there is no way they could make the prothesis look identical to each knee. That's what I've settled on in my mind, anyway. :D)

It is my understanding the shape of the knee changes with all the bone spurs that grow inside the joint that do not belong there. My OS said my left knee is way worse than my right, but it is my right that hurts more. I have a gigantic bone spur right in the middle of my left joint that carves on the back of the patella when it bends. That knee is very "pointy" when bent, like your left knee photo regarding the knee cap. My right knee is more swollen and bigger in width, not pointy at all. I will see how they change post op with the replacements on Wednesday.
Best,
Crystal

 

[edk]

This may be a male / female thing but I don't know what the big thing about legs
looking the same is. My legs haven't looked the same for about 20 years.
My bad knee was always swollen and since it hurt I favored it and the
muscles in it were less developed than my good knee. So I had one leg
which was gorgeous and one leg which was skinny with a cantalope for
a knee.

I wear shorts all the time. I figure all my scars make me ruggedly sexy though
no one else seems of that opinion.

 

[beachcomber]

Yes... must be a male/female thing.... what is ruggedly sexy (like you!) and a badge of courage and toughness for guys is lopsided and ugly to us..... I've just gotten a lot less vain about my legs and more concerned about comfort as time has gone by... I still wear shorts when the weather allows. My knees are each lopsided and misshapen and now have even more scars than 6 months ago-- with more sure to come. I just think I have more important things to worry about than scars and lopsided knees--- like getting strong and healthy!

 

[1jt@atime]

Oh Edk, we've seen your ruggedly sexy hiking picture. I think your legs are great!

 

[Josephine]

Good pic - looks fine to me. I'm still going with the scar tissue.

 

[Skeet]

I am at 6 months, Weezy, and my TKR knee is slightly larger than the other one. It is still a little swollen from time to time as well. I think we're normal.

 

[Josephine]

Normal, Skeet? You jest, surely!




Oh - you meant in the knee!!

 

[Weezl]

That's what my surgeon said. I am concerned about my knee because it looks ugly. It looked fine before the proceedure and I was afraid this would happen but naturally I had to have the surgery. I just hate it when M.D.'s aren't honest. As all of us on this site have issues, I try to keep as normal as possible....with back and knee problems I force myself to walk erect and to keep a normal gait even though my body would prefer to lean and waddle. I have a bouncy personality and I aim to keep that bounce in my step as long as possible. As I told my PT I'm here to get my wiggle back!........So yes, form does follow function and I't is more important to have a working knee than a normal looking knee.......but if I can have both that would certainly be preferable......my doctor should not have told me my knee would look the same after TKR because that has me waiting till it does and it p...'s me off.
Thanks for your reply! Weezl

 

[JenniferG]

I was told the swelling could exist for months to a year. I had both knees done and one is more swollen than the other.
Wayne, How long did it take for the Zimmer rep to go get your correct size knee? Did you lie open on the table the whole time? My OS took tons of Xrays prior to measure and then ordered.

 

[susan1228]

Weez
I had both knees done on February 18th of 2008 and they both look the same normal. I was looking at your picture and maybe after you have the other one done you will be happier. At least I thought you have to have the other one done. My swelling is just now almost down to normal. I have numbness to the touch also but feeling is starting to come back. My surgeon did such a great job with the incisions every nurse or doc who sees them say how pretty they are. Now if the pain and stiffness would go I would be happy. Function is my priority. Good luck

 

[edk]

I don't know about Zimmer but I've looked at Stryker stuff a lot because
that's what I got. And for them there is a whole tool kit where they
build you a knee on the fly. They are built where the weight bearing part
is the same and there are different sized uppers and lowers which fit together.
When a hospital uses them they get a whole set. So the surgeon says
I think we need a 20mm uppper and an 18mm lower. Mr. Zimmer fetches them.
And in the middle of surgery they might say oh no we need an 19mm lower
and it would just be a return to the big suitcase in the OR and fetch it.

 

[Weezl]

I think you have me confused with Weezy since I haven't posted my pics yet. Her's do look like a matched set. I can live with the difference and go boating and run around in shorts without covering it up. It's just cruel to tell someone to expect something that just ain't happnin! Yup it's a male/female thing. Males say it's just fine, who's going to notice, etc, etc. I wonder how that would work with a fender??????.......Yes I hit the fender but don't worry dear nobody will notice that it's off kilter and dented. After all, that's what fenders are for. It's just fine!
A big knee is what it is, and what it isn't is sexy...and nobody cares except the person it belongs to. [smile]

 

[referee54]

I had both mine done on 11/08/07---they still are a tiny bit swollen, and my legs still are swollen, too. It takes up to a year, I hear..so I am OK with that. Show your "battle scar" with pride---you have waged a war against arthritis and won!

I, too wear shorts, and am not conerned about how my legs look. Who cares? I am walking and gong to grad parties---people know what I had done, and if they are worried about the way my knees look, well, in my mind,they are worried about the wrong things...

I guess you have to let nature take its courseon these things---my MD didn't lie to me at all---he told me what it would look like, that it would be numb, that it would be puffy for a long while; in essence, he told me everything that was probably going to happen---and did.

How does it feel? Are you able to walk OK? how is the discomfort level? I hope that your swelling goes done---patience, patience...

Tim C.

 

[Weezl]

Ref, you are and have been an inspiration to me. All of your posts have helped me in the early recovery [mine was 1/04/08]. Seriously, every time something new happens that takes a little something from you, you roll with it, you keep the good attitude, the chin is up and all that.............but things have changed.........****!

 

[1jt@atime]

Weezl, I posted a picture of my knees pre-op to my second tkr earlier in this thread and I think others think my knees are yours. I had asked if yours were like mine. Can you post a picture of yours so we can see?

You are right....Ref is a great inspiration to us all! Karen

 

[Weezy]

I think you have me confused with Weezy since I haven't posted my pics yet. Her's do look like a matched set. I can live with the difference and go boating and run around in shorts without covering it up. It's just cruel to tell someone to expect something that just ain't happnin! Yup it's a male/female thing. Males say it's just fine, who's going to notice, etc, etc. I wonder how that would work with a fender??????.......Yes I hit the fender but don't worry dear nobody will notice that it's off kilter and dented. After all, that's what fenders are for. It's just fine!
A big knee is what it is, and what it isn't is sexy...and nobody cares except the person it belongs to. [smile]

Nope--those pretty knees were not mine!

I haven't posted anything for a few days...but here's my take on matching knees:

We all have different degrees of tolerance regarding symmetry. My knees do not match at all and its fine with me. I think my new knee looks more "normal" because my own knees have always had funny points since my kneecap sits in the wrong place (even after having surgery to correct that in the 80s--after a few years they both went back to being off kilter, plus I have lots of bone spurs in my remaining knee.

I'm wearing shorts everywhere, and all I've gotten are encouraging comments and strangers telling me about their experiences (or their cousin, sister, brother, etc.). I'm proud of the fact I had the courage to do something about the pain I was in and I'm looking forward to being able to walk normally again--until I get my other knee done! My hubby thinks that seeing me ride a bike again is sexy.


Its funny, but looking back, even when I was young and dating, no one EVER commented on my weird knees and I never even thought about it because they've always been funny looking.

I hope your knee continues to improve Weezl--my doc has told me that it will be swollen to some degree for about a year so it seems as if there is still time for changes to occur.

WeezY