Revision TKR Lovetocookandsew’s long road to recovery

[lovetocookandsew]

@sistersinhim Thanks, I will.

 

[NightQuilter]

I too have a nickel allergy - so much so I cannot even wear surgical steel earrings. My OS found a "ceramitized" knee with Smith & Nephew. He couldn't go straight titanium & carbon chrome like my hips because he said that would be too brittle for the stresses on knees. So they contain some nickel but are so super-heated as to have created a barrier between that and the bones. At 5 years, I've had no issues.

Good luck to you both Kim and Mary. Oh, and I thought one of the deals with the ACA was there would be no barriers due to pre-existing conditions....

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@NightQuilter I eventually had to let my ears close up and stop wearing any earrings due to itching, pus and bleeding no matter which type of earring metal I bought. I have since thought that maybe the other kinds have some nickel in them, but who knows. I can wear nickel belts and they never have bothered me, but earrings and I have a hate-hate relationship. When we were going to get the metal allergy test, my doctor wanted to do a skin test first. Since I've never had a problem with belts, I told him I was sure it'd be negative. He used the different metals that are in my implant for the test, and was I surprised when the nickel gave me a pretty solid rash, while the other metals were basically rash free. I have a plate in my neck; I think it's titanium but am not sure as it's been a while since I had that surgery so can't be certain. But, whatever they used for that hasn't bothered me at all. The new knee he's planning to put in is ceramic with some other metals inside that supposedly don't leech out.

https://www.aesculapimplantsystems.com/products/orthopaedics/knee-arthroplasty

 

[NightQuilter]

Interesting how we all react so differently. I have issues with the nickel brads in belts, but can wear silver or 18k gold earrings and rings. The cages, plates, screws, and rods they used in my lumbar and cervical fusions were also titanium. That knee looks pretty interesting!!

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Hopefully it's not only interesting looking, but does the trick!

 

[NightQuilter]

 

[jboles]

@lovetocookandsew I’m also someone who has metal allergies. The patch test was mildly positive to several different metals, cobalt, nickel and titanium. So I had the blood test and sure enough I’m allergic to almost all metals. My OS had originally said that he was going to use the aseculap implant that you mentioned, but he finally decided on the Smith and Nephew ceramic femoral component with an all polyethylene tibial component. He didn’t use the titanium base plate since I’m one of the very few people allergic to titanium. I’ve had my left knee for 6 months, the right one for 1 month. So far no reaction.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@jboles I'm glad you found an implant that works for you. I can't imagine being allergic to that many metals! The titanium I have is in my neck where I had a cervical fusion with a bone graft and the plate.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@Pumpkln I took a couple of pictures of my knee today and thought you'd like to see them. I'm hoping all the swelling goes away after the revision. (ignore the fact that it isn't shaved; since it doesn't bend well it's such a pain to shave that in the winter I only do it before I go to my OS.......)

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@Pumpkln Here's a picture of my left knee as a comparison.

 

[ucsbgal1971]

Pumpkin, I don't even see an incision. That looks wonderful. Lovestocookandsew, that is truly a mean looking knee. It pains me to even look at it. I too have allergies and my Smith and Nephew Oxnium knee didn't cut the mustard. I will be having a revision with the Aesculap knee but am concerned because my Llt blood test came back with Zirconium within the normal range but high normal. I seem to develop sensitivity after the implant is in place for a while. My revision will be April 18, if all goes well. I am trying to remain positive but worries are in the back of my head. I am more afraid now because my new doctor doesn't do many things the other doctor did to alleviate pain one of which is the nerve block. When I woke up from the first surgery, I had almost no pain. I am anticipating that it will be much different this time since he isn't going to do the nerve block.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@Pumpkln Here's the picture you asked for. I don't know if it's out of alignment or not, it's hard to tell, but I'm thinking it's the swelling that makes it look crooked but, as I said, who knows.

 

[Pumpkin]

Looks a little knock knee to me.
I will tag @Josephine to take a look at your right knee alignment.
Thanks for posting Kim.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@Pumpkln I mostly notice that my right pant and short legs are tighter on me than my left ones..... Thanks Chris.

 

[Josephine]

I can't tell from such a picture. I need one that includes the hips and feet in order to measure it properly.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

@Josephine Hips and feet with shorts? facing front or sideways?

 

[Josephine]

Hips and feet with shorts? facing front or sideways?

Correct. Just as you did before but longer! Thank you

 

[lovetocookandsew]

Will do. Thank-you.

 

[lovetocookandsew]

I hope this is what you need. Thanks so much!

 

[Josephine]

Picture perfect!

I did a bit of measuring and found there is a very tiny bit of valgus deformity, probably only a 2-3 degrees which is insignificant. What is apparent to me is that your foot is in pronation which might be the problem.