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Revision TKR Hood1980’s Revision

Thank you @kayow11. My head is really spinning as I try to research and take in all the info. So happy to have this forum and all you thoughtful and helpful people to help me through this.

My OS’s PA called me back today and urged me to give it more time. That my knee was off 10 degrees at my March appointment. (Why don’t they say anything? ) That my knee could still improve, but by all means go to my foot and ankle surgeon or they have one in their office if I have any foot and ankle concerns.

Please @Jamie, I’m ready to see another surgeon to discuss revision. My zip code is 20603 and DC and Northern Virginia are closer to me than Baltimore and JHU.


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@Hood1980, I was aghast at reading your post and what the PA said to you! They never want to admit to failures on their part, and don't expect an apology from them.
My original surgeon said , "it's really not that bad," but did say he heard my problems, and wants me to be happy and knew I wasn't.

I called his clinic manager to see if I could get a reduction or some kind of reparation, especially in monetary terms from the "mistake" that was made, how it was going to cost me another several thousand dollars for another deductible, plus all the recuperating time and suffering, plus job loss, for yet another surgery.
The manager was not professional in how she handled me, and actually said some offensive things to me. They have not heard the last from me!

Even when I had a second opinion from a different surgeon, she was not very encouraging and said she would not even consider re-doing for at least a year despite that it was structural, and said that with time, it may feel better and I could change my mind.
Of course this will not improve on its own, it is a surgical defect. The misalignment caused many problems for me, plus it looks bad, so I knew I had to get something done soon. Like you said earlier, "How does this happen?"
That is the mystery! I don't know, but it seems like inattentiveness to details?!:shrug::umm::dubious:

When I saw the revision specialist, he never once questioned me, and listened intently to my symptoms due to the crooked leg. He understood how and why I was having problems. He assured me that it looked pretty straightforward to fix. I am so glad I did!

I waited 6 months, and so far have not had any issues, plus a big reduction in my former symptoms.
I am still suffering from a back issue though that started from the crooked knee, but hopefully that will resolve soon.
Feel free to ask more if you like, I know the dilemma you are in. :bawl:
 
Oh thank you so much @kayow11. I started reading your thread last night and am learning so much and it is answering a lot of my questions. I hope to hear from Jaime soon about the revision specialists in my area (other than the ones in my OS group).

You are so right about the OS office being rude! I didn’t even tell you what I had to go through with the person that answered the phone just to get a PA to call me back! . It makes me want to take it further, perhaps we can keep in touch on how you proceed with that. Why can’t they just treat people the way they want to be treated? That’s all I ask. It’s like after they get your money and they don’t care about you anymore. They don’t want to deal with their failures! I’m also afraid that other surgeons will not want to deal another OS’s failure as you experienced. I’m happy you were able to find a surgeon and things are working out for you. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you are sharing your experience with @shelli22 and me. [emoji4]


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Hood1980 said:
I’m also afraid that other surgeons will not want to deal another OS’s failure
Click to expand...
This is why we have to go far enough away to a different surgeon who does not know our current one.

When I am ready for my second opinion I will go to the Philadelphia area since I am more familiar with that area than Baltimore. I live about in the middle of those 2 cities. I hope either will be far enough from where I live. But Delaware is a tiny state so my surgeon may be known in those areas.

@kayow11 How far did you have to go?
 
You may also find that revision specialists, just by the nature of their choice of work, care more about the work itself and the results than about saving face for some other surgeon. They're "fixers." Of course, it's still wise to go a little further afield than in the same practice, hospital, group, or institute.

Your knee, and all of your body, deserves the very best surgeon you can find, @Hood1980. You can make this happen. In the long run, when you have a straight and working knee again, you will be so happy you did it.

And I too think the treatment you received from the PA was callous. Go to a foot and ankle surgeon? If the knee is misaligned... they're going to do what? Operate on your ankle? I'm gobsmacked. :scaredycat:
 
kayow11 said:
Like you said earlier, "How does this happen?"
That is the mystery! I don't know, but it seems like inattentiveness to details?!
Click to expand...
@Josephine, how does a tkr be put in crooked? Don't they check for things like that before sending you to recovery?

@Hood1980, I feel certain that Jamie will lead you to someone who will do you great! As SusieShoes said, these revisionists are used to fixing other doctor's mistakes. You are in my prayers.
 
@Jockette , As far as finding a surgeon to do my revision, it is the same Twin Cities area. I live in a suburb of Saint Paul, and my original surgeon works mostly in St. Paul. My revision specialist sometimes works in St. Paul but usually in a suburb. It is a different medical Group but not very far away from each other. They do know each other but not very well according to both of them.
 
That’s nice you didn’t have to go too far.
I’m so happy for you that the revision is a success.
 
@SusieShoes, and @Hood1980 ,
You are absolutely right regarding revisions specialists liking to do them. My doctors PA and the people that work on his team say that he LOVES doing revisions and thinks of them as challenges. And also that he has had good success with his revisions and does more than any other doctor in their medical group.

My original surgeon said that he only does one or two a month at the most.

My revision doctor said 5 to 7 per month and has specifically done correction of misalignments. I think this is important to ask that specific question and to also ask if they have had good results with that.

My revision specialist looked at the full leg x-rays and saw where the problem likely occurred , and he felt confident that it was straightforward and fairly easy to fix.

I also think this is important that they have a game plan of what they hope to do, to make it right.

Don't be afraid to ask any of those specific and pertinent questions. At the tune of them getting reimbursed $35-$45,000 per knee, It's ridiculous that you even have to go through this, just as I had to.
So we definitely have the option and right to ask any and all questions to help ensure success this next time.

They can handle the tough questions, or they should be able to, which will show what they are made of.
 
@Jockette,
In fact, when I told my original surgeon that I wanted my leg fixed, he actually recommended my current revision specialist. He said that they see each other at the gym but don't talk much.
That was about the same time that Jamie on this site, recommended my current revision specialist, for the area of where I live.
Normally, the recommendation from my original surgeon could have, and did raise red flags for me, but after seeing Jamie's recommendation and checking into this doctor, I decided to see him.
I liked his demeanor and everything he said, and he didn't question my motives, or act like he wasn't convinced about what I was telling him, and he has had good success with this exact thing.
I felt good about my decision to go with him and I am so happy with my results.
I also am very glad I didn't wait longer than six months. That was just about perfect. :ok:
 
@sistersinhim,
Two weeks after my second surgery, I asked my original surgeon at a post op check up, "how does this kind of thing happen with all of the people helping in the operating room, and all the fancy equipment trying to make things right?"
He said that he takes full responsibility for his work and doesn't blame anything on anyone else.
When I spoke to his clinic manager and stated that he said this, she got back to me later, and it was as if this statement meant nothing, or that it was not an admission of being incompetent or something like that.

She was a jerk, but honestly the original surgeon is a very nice man. I assume that he cannot admit that he made a mistake. That also is ridiculous. I am sure they are worried about lawsuits. But handling me that way, just brought my horns out!
 
@Hood1980,
Before my last surgery, I did contact an attorneys office, and gave them a run down on my problem.
They said that medical stuff such as this, is hard to deal with, and is very costly for them to do all the research needed in a case like that, unless there is blatant negligence, I guess.
My original surgeon could see that my leg was crooked, but didn't think it was that bad or that it would necessarily cause me problems.
They only get paid, if they win the case.
They also said to contact them after the surgery, but I have not done that yet. I am still waiting to see how all this turns out first. If I do pursue, I realize there could be pitfalls and mountains to climb with all of it. I would have to make sure it was worth it for me.
Medical malpractice is a hard nut to crack, I assume, especially without intent.
I feel it was just carelessness and inattentiveness to details.
I think many doctors get away with this in these circumstances, since supposedly they had our best care in mind, and we took the risk, and they are not perfect, and cannot ensure total success.
 
Thank you @SusieShoes for the very encouraging words. You are right....I do deserve the best. I will wait and see what @Jamie recommends and start this process over. I’m still in disbelief that in this day and age with all the checks and balances and computer assistance that a new knee can be misaligned.


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@sistersinhim it’s funny, but not funny, that before surgery I told my OS to give me a nice scar like my mastectomy scar, which is nearly invisible. I should have told him to make sure to make my new knee straight! again, funny how priorities change. I’d take a big ugly scar now, if my knee was straight and I could walk!


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@kayow11 Thank you again for all the info! I am definitely looking for a revision surgeon specialist that does at least 5 revisions per month! I hope I am fortunate enough to find a good one in the DC Metro area or for sure Baltimore. They aren’t as close as your Twin Cities but doable, especially to get an awesome revision specialist.

I know mistakes happen. Looking back on it I shouldn’t have scheduled the first surgery after Christmas break! [emoji15][emoji33] Also he had several surgeries scheduled with many assistants and residents. I hope my surgeon will share with me as yours did.


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I’m trying to post a link to one of the better articles I’ve been able to find regarding knee instability, malalignment and the need for revisions. How things are done and where mistakes are likely to happen. I did have cruciate saving surgery which makes balancing soft tissues more challenging. I was in the best shape I’d been in since my 20’s prior to surgery but have always had “loose” ligaments and have always been”double jointed” meaning my knee caps were high and did not track properly. All these things made for a more complicated surgery but should have been taken into account by a more than competent surgeon who is one of the top surgeons in the mid-Atlantic.
 
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@Hood1980
Agree with you 100% about when to schedule surgery. I try to make sure I am first on the OS list . I had a 7:30 am surgery. Secondary, never scheduled any surgery after middle of November until the middle of the next year. I had an October surgery. My husband had a early November, and April. Sorry about all the difficulties you have encountered.
 
Just read the article on tips for flying as I will be flying to visit my son in Georgia for Mother’s Day. . Very helpful tips and will definitely take ziplock bags for icing during the flight. Was wondering about the compression stockings? Any of you ever wear them when you are going to be seated for awhile?
 
@Mutti3 if I can get my TKR revision scheduled for late summer/early fall, that would be ideal for me. @Jamie do you have any recommendations for me?
 
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