I am so sad and am feeling really quite low right now. Like a lot of you here, my story is a long one so I'll try to be brief to give you a better understanding of my situation.
Having RA, OA, CPPD plus a rotated tibia meant I did have 6 operations on the right knee/leg before the following operations:
1. Nov 2019 Right TKR (incl patella button)
2. Feb 2020 Arthroscopy, debridement, biopsy for ?infection - had a loose prosthesis with pain, redness, swelling, positive Gallium scan - however cultures turned out to be negative except for one which they thought must be contamination.
3. April 2020 1st Revision TKR - intra op fractured femur requiring cerclage wire and an immobilising brace plus I had a post op respiratory arrest and was intubated for 5 hrs in recovery. I was also told there was severe arthrofibrosis, something I've had trouble with in other parts of my body. Unfortunately I still had restricted ROM when weight bearing at 6 weeks and noticed I was unable to lift my leg.
4. June 2020 Arthroscopic MUA and repeat cultures - Dr unable to bend/manipulate knee at all - cultures done but put into formalin so no results (I bet when doc was told, the nurse who did it would have been hiding
)
5. Oct 2020 Leg still swollen, hot, red and painful. Referred on to revision specialist. New doc did more tests which showed stuffed quad and patella tendons (why I cant lift it), malalignment - a femorotibial mismatch with a 20 degree internal rotation, lots of arthrofibrosis and he (along with my rheumatologist) believes I have a culture-negative infection in the knee joint. I am not so sure.
At this point I am to have a 2nd revision starting in Dec (2 stage this time) but he is researching it further with other 'revision' colleagues and the makers of the prosthesis. At this stage we think it will go like this.... first stage is to pull out existing prosthesis replace with antibiotic spacer, leave the CVC line in for IV antibiotics, immobilise in brace for the quad/patella tendon repairs, then review at 6-12 weeks.
6. About February 2021 - hopefully get to put in a new hinged joint prosthesis so it wont malalign again. He will also cut out all the arthrofibrosis and place me on a CPM to get back some ROM.
I think I'm just looking for some help me to get me through the rest of the journey so I dont feel so alone. Sorry this was so long.....
Having RA, OA, CPPD plus a rotated tibia meant I did have 6 operations on the right knee/leg before the following operations:
1. Nov 2019 Right TKR (incl patella button)
2. Feb 2020 Arthroscopy, debridement, biopsy for ?infection - had a loose prosthesis with pain, redness, swelling, positive Gallium scan - however cultures turned out to be negative except for one which they thought must be contamination.
3. April 2020 1st Revision TKR - intra op fractured femur requiring cerclage wire and an immobilising brace plus I had a post op respiratory arrest and was intubated for 5 hrs in recovery. I was also told there was severe arthrofibrosis, something I've had trouble with in other parts of my body. Unfortunately I still had restricted ROM when weight bearing at 6 weeks and noticed I was unable to lift my leg.
4. June 2020 Arthroscopic MUA and repeat cultures - Dr unable to bend/manipulate knee at all - cultures done but put into formalin so no results (I bet when doc was told, the nurse who did it would have been hiding
5. Oct 2020 Leg still swollen, hot, red and painful. Referred on to revision specialist. New doc did more tests which showed stuffed quad and patella tendons (why I cant lift it), malalignment - a femorotibial mismatch with a 20 degree internal rotation, lots of arthrofibrosis and he (along with my rheumatologist) believes I have a culture-negative infection in the knee joint. I am not so sure.
At this point I am to have a 2nd revision starting in Dec (2 stage this time) but he is researching it further with other 'revision' colleagues and the makers of the prosthesis. At this stage we think it will go like this.... first stage is to pull out existing prosthesis replace with antibiotic spacer, leave the CVC line in for IV antibiotics, immobilise in brace for the quad/patella tendon repairs, then review at 6-12 weeks.
6. About February 2021 - hopefully get to put in a new hinged joint prosthesis so it wont malalign again. He will also cut out all the arthrofibrosis and place me on a CPM to get back some ROM.
I think I'm just looking for some help me to get me through the rest of the journey so I dont feel so alone. Sorry this was so long.....