How long is surgery.......

[Jayne]

for both of my knees to be replaced? I am rather thin and have very little knees. I just wondered if that would help me to be done faster or maybe that doesn't matter at all. Also, I wonder if the fact I did aerobics and running increased my chances of having this surgery at all?
Thanks for any help.
Jayne

 

[Simon]

Jayne

The time factor really has so many variables to it that it would be hard to know. I had BTKR and the OS used the computer assisted surgery which is suppose to cut down the time but once he got in there things were alot more difficult than expected (I had 9 previous surgeries so that is to be expected) and surgery ran about 5 1/2 hours. I am sure this is more on the extreme end. I did a lot of running, hiking and volleyball playing in high school and college and given the knee problems started back them due to patella malalignment along with arthritis in the family it was a given that I would nee new knees sooner than later. I should have had mine done in my 40s but I kept putting it off and that only made things worse.

The most important thing is a good surgeon and a good PT.

Simon

 

[Josephine]

Yes, good explanation, Simon.

Your condition won't stop you getting surgery, Jayne. Just think of all the crumbly old grannies that have been severely disabled with their bad knees for years! But it will make your recovery a whole lot easier and faster. As will the fact that your knees are skinny! We love skinny knees to operate on!

As for the time, a single knee takes about 2 hours including all the prep so you'd be excused for expecting a bilateral to take 4 hours. Well, sometimes a surgeon will get a colleague to come and work with him and they each do a knee at the same time. This is called a simultaeous BTKR. That will still take a bit longer than one as prepping two knees takes a bit longer. Plus there are certain points in the procedure where one surgeon will have to stop and allow the other one some extra space.

However, if the one surgeon does one knee and then the other, that can take about 4½ or even 5 hours as the team has to clear up and tidy between knees! Just a bit of housekeeping in order to keep things in order, y'know!

 

[Jamie]

But no matter how long the surgery actually is....for you it will seem like mere seconds cuz you'll be blissfully asleep!!!

 

[backbay38]

that part about being blissfully aslee is so true. I had only one knee done and I guess the entire time from prep to recovery room was about an hour and a half. But all I recall was being wheeled into the OR, the anesthesiologist took my glasses and said he'd put them back on my nose after so I could see -- and I don't even recall any shot or anything. Just out -- and (seconds) later woke up in the recovery room fully aware and awake with my glasses on as sthe Doc had promised. As for running and doing aerobics -- you will have muscle memory which will help you get back in condtiion fast afterward. I ran marathons and that was not the cause of my knee problems; it was running on injuries from things like skiiing and hiking and slipping on ice going to work -- and not giving those injuries time to heal because I was so anal about missing a single day's run!!!. sdo it's not the running etc itself -- it's not listening to your body when it's saying -- let me rest for awhile and heal BTW I plan to run -- a little - again as soon as my right quad matches my left quad in strength again. I'm about 3 months out now....on RTKR. Good luck on your BTKR!!! What Simon says is so true -- get the best surgeon you can find who does lots and lots of knees......

 

[JudyS]

I agree with Jamie. I was going to say it take about 2 seconds!!! That is surely what surgery seems like to me.
judy

 

[Josephine]

I agree with Jamie. I was going to say it take about 2 seconds!!! That is surely what surgery seems like to me.
judy

 

[Jayne]

Thanks everyone! I do feel I have the best surgeon. I would not have chose him if I didn't have faith in him. I'm amazed at the people who ask me after I tell them I'm having my knees replaced and they mention my OS and it is mine.
Jayne

 

[Jamie]

You're sooooo right, Jayne. That feedback from others who know of the good work done by your surgeon always make a person feel good about the choices made.

 

[Rowdy66]

You guys are so great. My surgery was about two seconds as well. LOL. Rowdy

 

[Simon]

Well I thought I would chime in with an opposite answer. My surgery (from entering the preop area to getting to the recovery unit was 6 1/2 hours and i know what went on for every minute of it as I chose to skip all the sedation. The first 2 surgeries I had were with sedation and I had an awful time postop with urinary retention and nausea so I wanted to avoid that. The next ones, the OS asked if I could handle being awake as he could get a better outcome if I could be the one moving the knee (with a block so I don't have any pain, just a bit of a feeling of pressure). I said yes, as long as I could watch the arthroscopy (he set up a video for me). Now I have always had an interest in science and dissected plenty of frogs and piglets on my own as my lab partners did not want any part of it so I just looked at it as a science experiment. I found it very interesting. The only problem I had in the early ones was getting a little cold but someone always went out and got a warm blanket.

This time around, I got to watch the computer mapping of the knee which was really interesting. Being cold was not a problem as they now have something called a bear hugger which keeps you warm. It actually got too warm so they had to turn it off. Even skipping the sedation, I did have a horrible time with the nausea and vomiting and spent 6 hours in recovery room as they tried to get it under control. The worse was I was really thirst but everytime I took a sip of water we start a new bout. They tried several different drugs before they found one that kinda of worked and they went with ginger ale soaked sponge on a stick. So I entered the preop area at 6:00 am and made it to my room a little before 7pm.

Don't worry folks, all my friends think I am a bit strange.

Simon

 

[calling_all_angels]

Simon,
I too all ways get sick. So about 17 years ago my 1st OS said we have a patch that we could put behind your ear, it seems to work would you like to try it?? Dang I figured I had nothing to lose by trying it. And it was wonderful!! IT WORKED!!! Now they do not think that they need to offer them at the NEW OS but my Doc got them for me he said why wake up throwing up??? And I agree with him why take the chance?? Maybe it won't happen anymore but then if it does I will be the that suffers. So I will all ways patch-up before I have surgery.
^i^
RTKR on Jan 14 2009
LTKR on March 6 2009

 

[Texas]

wow Simon that really sounds great. You have more guts then I do, I am to chicken, but I bet you learned alot from that . Do they have crazy converations in there? Was he telling you what he was doing? Good well soon....Kim

 

[Josephine]

Being cold was not a problem as they now have something called a bear hugger which keeps you warm.

Gosh - I'd forgotten about the Bear Huggers! Best thing ever!

I remember a friend of mine had an op and said she'd woken feeling everso cold. Then she told me, with a air of amazement, "And do you know what the nurse did - she put a hairdryer under my blanket!" Did I ever chuckle at that!

For those of you that don't know, it's a double paper sheet that's put next to the patients skin. A warm air pump is plugged into it so the sheet is inflated with warm air. Almost every patient that came into out recovery used to have one!

 

[Hope810]

Jo - I was told that drinking lots of water the week before surgery would help with post-op nausea. I drank 6 glasses, 12 oz for 5 days before surgery. I felt like I was going to float into the hospital but I had very little problems in recovery. What are your thoughts on this point?

Hope

 

[Josephine]

Not heard of that before but hey - if it works, don't knock it!

 

[Hope810]

Yes, the nurse at my TKR pre-surgery class really stress drinking lots of water days before to help flush out the system after the surgery. She said that you didn't want to go in thirsty. It may help.

Hope

 

[Jamie]

Drinking lots of water also helps plump up your veins (so I'm told) and helps with the IV insertion. For those of us that are "difficult sticks," anything to help is a big deal.

 

[Sticker Lady]

So glad I saw this thread--I have terrible veins and if drinking extra water might help get the IV in pour me a glass! One more thing to put on my "to do" list.
Thanks!

 

[Hope810]

I'm a big proponent of lots of water. I keep bottles in my car and have a couple of big gulps when doing my errands. That extra minute of rest and some water really calms me and clears my head before I get on the road again. My driving is much better and living in a big city (just outside DC) I have to be on my toes with the traffic - no mistakes.

Hope