TKR Finding a surgeon in Hartford Ct.

Tennisagain?

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The doctor who has been giving me cortisone shots says it is time to consider RTKR’s I’ve read through a number of the posts related to finding a surgeon. One of the keys to a successful operation seems to be the experience of the surgeon.
My doctor does about 30 TKR’s a year and I want someone in the 50+ range. I’ve called several doctors with good reviews but they all tell me I need to set an appointment to get this information. Does anyone know if there is a public database that provides the number of operations and the revision number‘s for knee surgeons? Alternatively if anyone has a surgeon in the Hartford Ct area I would appreciate the referral.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to all of you further along on this journey of pain.
 
Hello and Welcome to BoneSmart!
I believe it’s been recommended here that it’s best to find a surgeon that does 100-150+ a year. You can try the site Pro Publica. I am not certain it’s always up to date though. I will also see if Admin can recommend a surgeon in your area of Hartford, CT, so please check back here periodically.

I will leave you some pre op info to look over. Thanks for joining us!

KNEE PRE-OP ARTICLES

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:

Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at some stories of amazing knee recoveries
@Tennisagain?
 
@Tennisagain? .... I don't have a knee surgeon to recommend in Hartford....sorry. Knees can be tricky, so you do want to try and find someone who does at least 100 knee replacements (not "knee surgeries") per year. I suggest that you make several appointments to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. If you want to post the names of doctors you are considering, I can do a little research for you.
 
I 'interviewed' 3 OS before I settled on the one I did. Knowledge is power! You will know when you have the right one for you. But, as Jamie said, ask the number of knee joint replacements, not just surgeries. They are as different as day and night. I know, I've had a total of 12 knee surgeries, including one TKR.
 
@Tennisagain? ,
You can start your search by looking for surgeons who have done a Fellowship in Knee and Hip replacement.
Most orthopedic offices will have that information on their website.
 
Thank you all for your responses, the three doctors I had identified to set up appointments with are:

Dr. Jeffrey Burns
Dr. John Grady-Burns
Dr. Michael Joyce

My first choice was Dr. Joyce but a tennis buddy of mine sent me an article that Dr. Joyce just lost an $8.5 million dollar lawsuit for the death of a TNR patient. That gave me pause and I decided I needed to do much more research before going forward. I haven’t ruled out Dr. Joyce but I want to really know what I’m getting myself into. I’m 70 and my knee only bothers me when I play tennis or walk more than 1/2 mile.
 
You’re wise to do thorough research prior to this, or any surgery. Do take that lawsuit with a grain of salt until you know all the details. I’ll take a look at these three surgeons and see what I find.
 
If NYC isn’t too far, I highly recommend the Hospital for Special Surgery. All they do is orthopedic surgery. They have satellite locations in the surrounding area.

@Jamie can share a list surgeons used by Bonesmart members. I’m having a 2nd revision on my right knee in two weeks with Dr Brian Chalmers.

Good Luck
 
I’ve narrowed my doctor search down to Jeffrey Burns and Michael Joyce, both do over a couple hundred TKR’s a year. Thanks for the feedback!

I have another question and wanted to change the title to my post but wasn’t sure how to go about doing that.

My question is regarding the retention of the ACL. I’ve read that patients keeping this ligament are more satisfied with the results of the operation. I plan on asking the doctors their thoughts but I was wondering the people on this forum think about this issue. Any and all comments are appreciated.
 
I still have my ACL but I had a partial ( lateral) knee replacement. I think some TKR patients do keep the ACL as well.
I have had some issues post- op with medial pain due to my previously overstretched MCL- but my knee feels very natural and I have excellent ROM (145+ degrees flexion at 6 months). Not sure whether this is due to my preserved ACL but presumably it helps.
 
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The cruciate ligaments are not replaced as part of a partial knee replacement and some people do report that a partial knee replacement has a more "normal" feel to it, which is likely related to this.

Whether or not they are replaced during a full knee replacement is not really a factor of choice by the patient. It has to do with the condition of the posterior cruciate ligament (the anterior cruciate ligament is always removed) and the surgeon's determination as to whether it is acceptable to leave it in place. The cruciate sacrificing implant component is designed with a small peg to compensate for the ligament loss if it is removed. You should not notice any difference in the performance of your knee either way. This is something your surgeon will determine. However, if you're curious about what is recommended for you, don't hesitate to ask about it.

You may read on the internet about surgeons leaving both ligaments in place with a total knee replacement. This was the case years ago, but not common today with the current design of implants. The ACL is almost always removed in order for the implant to work properly.
 

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