Doctor name in Michigan

[KarriB]

I was/am overweight with most of my weight below the waist and have very thick heavy legs. While my OS didn’t refuse my TKR, he did warn me that I had a higher chance of infection. He did the TKR and an infection took hold four weeks later. It took a second surgery and another 4 weeks before symptoms of the infection stopped. I had to give kudos to my OS because he never said”I told you” or blamed my weight. Amputation was never mentioned and I now have a very good result. Of course, I wondered if the infection was due to my weight, but it was never voiced by a medical professsional.

I don’t say this to scare you, because I would and will do this surgery again for my left knee at some point. It can be very hard to lose weight, especially when you are immobile due to pain and have a metabolism that just won’t cooperate. At the end of the day my Fitbit says I’ve burned 3,000 calories and I just laugh because if that was true I’d be a size 6. But my TKR has given me back a more active lifestyle, so I don’t want you to give up yet. There is hope! Have you tried calling different doctors within your network to see who may be willing to help you? Would you be able to look into the orthopedic doctors in Greatlake’s area to see if any of those could’ve been her OS?

 

[Loon]

Hi Keri, thanks for responding. May I ask if your surgeon put you on antibiotics after the surgery? Could that have prevented the infection? Also, do thin patients get infections or is just the ones with more adipose tissue? What did they do during the second procedure? I'm glad you wound up with a good result and are happy you did it. I absolutely want to do this before I get any older than I am. I'll be 68 in July. I may call my old surgeon and see if she will still do the surgery. She was willing 3 years ago to do it but was reluctant and told me the special prosthesis they'd have to special order would only last 5 years. That kind of scared me off and I didn't go back. It's a big decision to make. I wish my regular doctor wasn't off on maternity leave. She's the one who talked me into seeing this guy. She said he operates on fat people. Obviously not or not me anyway.

 

[Jamie]

Please don't give up your search. How about giving this surgeon a try. He's in Lansing and works with revisions and more difficult cases. I'd call to see if he would consider someone with your BMI.

broken link removed: https://michiganortho.com/team/taunt.php
Michigan Orthopedic Center
2815 South Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 204
Lansing, MI 48910
Phone: 517-267-0200

It may not be possible for you to have both knees done together. That surgery is actually very hard on the surgeon and you want to do everything possible to have a good outcome. But sometimes it's possible to have them fairly close together so in essence you do have one recovery. You can always ask, but don't be surprised if it's not recommended.

Most people have some type of antibiotics after surgery. It doesn't always prevent infection. Believe me, anyone can get an infection....it's NOT just people who are overweight. Many times the infection is the result of poor surgical practices in the operating theater. And other times it just happens and no one can say why. So, while this is a concern for someone of your weight, the elevated risk of infection is not something that should disqualify you completely from having surgery. You just need the right doctor.

I'm not understanding why you would need some type of special prosthesis. You'd need to ask more questions about that and let us know. I would hesitate going to a surgeon who is using some type of prosthesis they are not completely comfortable and used to putting in. You want a surgeon to have done the surgery you're having many, many times.

 

[KarriB]

As Jamie said, most TKRs are given an antibiotic after surgery and I was. I asked both my OS and my infectious disease dr what the cause of my infection could be and they both answered that was it is impossible to know. My best friend is thin and has had an infection after surgery so it can happen to anyone.

But I told you my story so you wouldn’t give up on trying to find a dr. Even after everything that happened I was still glad I had the TKR at 3 months post op because I was so much more mobile than pre op. Now 3 months post op I went back to work, but it just got better with every day, week and month. I intentionally walk 2 miles a day, ride 9-10 miles on an exercise bike, shop without pain and am slowly losing weight. Keep searching or a dr who is willing to help you.

 

[Loon]

Thank you both. That Dr. Taunt sounds wonderful and I will call him and try to get in with him while I have this disk of xrays from last week in my hand. I wish I'd known about him and went to him first. I'll be sure to ask if he takes obese patients before booking. He doesn't sound like he'd be deterred by my broken knees. Karri, I'm so happy for you that you are doing so well and have your life back. I'll be sure to check back and let you all know if I get in with him.