MIS Quad Sparing TKR...4 Weeks Out

[hollie9]

I'm very glad I had this type of TKR....none of the quad muscle, ligaments or tendons are cut so all quad strength is retained.

I was in hospital less than 24 hours and walked out unaided to my car and home.

I did have pain for the first 10 days, needing pain meds. Doc said it was bone ache from cutting the bone. But I've been able to walk unaided from the time I woke up from surgery.

I had a hard time finding my fabulous doctor who has done over 4,000 of these and even developed the quad sparing procedure. He is Dr. Coon in Red Bluff and has a great website that explains everything on www.OSIresearch.com .

Unfortunately my husband has had open heart surgery right after my second week from TKR so I have not been able to do much PT, although I've had to walk through hospital and hospital parking lot. He is finally home now and his surgery dwarfs my piddly TKR.

In summary, this quad sparing technique is fantastic. Less time in hospital means less chance for infection, and not having to build back your quads and walking right away....priceless.

I've got 135 degrees flexion and full extension at 4 weeks, and actually had it at 2 weeks.

I would have flown anywhere in the world for a doc this experienced in this technique. I highly recommend it.

Hollie

 

[Josephine]

Hollie, I moved your thread into the MIS forum - hope you found it ok!

Sadly, not everyone is suitable for MIS - I wasn't for one. But happily, I seemed to get better (story to that but not for here!) so I was able to avoid the TKR. But the surgeon (who also was a past master at the procedure) reeled off a whole list of reasons he couldn't do it on me!

I was also hoping for a hemi but same thing

Different reasons but same result.

 

[hollie9]

Why didn't you qualify Josephine? I saw lot of large people and big boned types in the waiting room...their scars were longer than mine but I think they still had the MIS Quad Sparing.

I have to say, my scar is beautiful at 4 weeks, I don't think it will be able to be seen when all healed. Dissolving stitches were used and the line is so small, about 5" long.

Well, good luck,

Hollie

 

[Josephine]

I was (am) overweight and and the arthritis extended into the femoro-patellar articulation so a button would be required. Normally I might have argued the point but as he is Professor of the Department of Joint Reconstruction at The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, I kinda figured he knew what he was talking about! I have also worked with him so know this to be so.

 

[JudyS]

Hollie
It sounds like you had an awesome surgical technique. I am a hippy and I sure couldn't have walked out of the hospital unaided even if I stayed there 2 weeks!!!
Judy

 

[hollie9]

Judy, I don't quite know what you mean about being a hippy...do you mean you had hip resurfacing or replacement?

About this technique of total knee replacement, yes, it really is fantastic. There are a couple people I know who are having good recoveries from regular TKRs but they say they are jealous of me because they are having to work really hard to get their quad muscle back.

Their quad is shrunken where mine looks just like the other non-opped one and no different than before surgery. I'm also hardly doing any PT exercises because of my husband's surgery taking over my life....yet I'm in better shape muscle wise than my friends are.

Most other people who go to this surgeon, Dr. Coon, also walk out unaided, I'm not alone.

Hollie

 

[Josephine]

She means she is an interloper from the hip replacement side of this forum!! Some of my members perambulate quite a bit! But they are very friendly and don't mean any harm!

I love'm to bits, really!

 

[JudyS]

yes Hollie Jo is right. I had a hip replacement on June 6th. It is awesome, but my good friend just reminded me tonite that I thought it would never heal at the time. Now , I hardly know that I had it done.

But, I am heading to the knee side and have my first knee arthroscopy on Dec 17th.

Judy

 

[hollie9]

This is interesting Judy because as soon as I was 6 months out from resurfacing both hips, my knees went bad! Talk about a bummer or two. I still can't figure out why cartilage on both knees and hips went bad at about the same time.

When you say you're having knee surgery on Dec. 17, do you mean knee replacement?

I'm now over 6 weeks and doing great, only problem is knee is not real flexible when I first get up from sitting for awhile, then it warms up and I'm fine.

I'm still not doing PT except some leg raises, bridges, on the bed. My husband's recovery still overshadows my own recovery. I can't wait to get back to PT and build up my whole body. I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon next week and hopefully will be released to do about anything like kneel, pull my foot up to my butt while standing, which they told me I couldn't do at first.

My other knee lacks cartilage also and will eventually need replacement. I'm gonna wait till it hurts a bit more and till husband has recovered more.

Judy, do you know why your hips and knees "went out" at the same time?

Hollie

 

[JudyS]

Hollie,
My knee surgery will be arthroscopic. Possible releasing some tissue, getting rid of some scar tissue, microfracture , lateral release , and of course cleaning out of the joint.

My knees have bothered me for years, the same with my right hip. In theory my left hip is ok, but it does hurt too. My spine is probably the biggest problem. I had cervical fusion of 3 levels before the hip scope and replacement.
The early degenerative joint disease for me is due to an endocrinology problem. I have hypopituitarism, basically my pituitary gland (the master gland) is not producing enough hormones, thus effecting every gland. I,before starting treatment 2 years ago, had very low growth hormone. In adults the lack of it causes rapid acceleration of the degeneration process. So wearing away of cartilage.

Glad to hear you continue to do so well. I remember the kind of stiffness when first getting up after my hip replacement. Then one day it was simply gone. I am thrilled with my new hip!!

Judy

 

[hollie9]

An endocrinology problem....does this problem show up on blood tests?

I've been to rheumatologists, allergists, and regular doctors and ortho docs and none have been able to find anything to cause my cartilage to disappear. I am hypermobile and have had my share of "accidents", don't know if that could do it. My first hip started going bad when I was 55.

You've had it tough with that back surgery. So sorry.

Good luck with your knee surgery. I've heard some good things about microfracture. I am sorry I had my torn meniscis cut out, it didn't help and I rapidly went downhill to needing a TKR.

Hollie

 

[JudyS]

Hollie
The road to discover the endocrinology issue was a long and frustrating one. I knew something was wrong as my running was slower , I was exhausted, freezing cold, muscle problems, severe hypertension was the trigger that had a cardiologist send me to an endocrinologist.
During my research, as I was totally frustrated with dr's in Atlanta, I found a doc in southern california. He does medical research, is an endocrinologist, and sees out of state patients (and out of country) on one nite a week. So I flew over to see him and the diagnosis happened eventually.

The tests I had were very specialized. The blood work also very specialized. I am 51 and first noticed major symptoms at around 46.
I also among other things have bone density problems.

But, life is good, there are so many many others with more serious problems.
Judy

 

[hollie9]

Smart move Judy, going to the So. Cal doc.

Now I'm wondering if my problem is endocrine related though I haven't had the original symptoms you had.

It sounds like something I should check out. I've been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and exhaustion is part of my life, and I do run cold.

Can you tell me what is the name of that doctor in case I need him?

Hollie

 

[JudyS]

Hollie
His name is Dr. Theodore Friedman. He has a website. goodhormonehealth.com
Definately check it out. Have you had your thyroid checked?
Have the other docs said it was unusual to have arthritis in many joints? I know I had lots of frustrating dr. apts in Georgia. They all told me i was just aging!!
Let me know if you decide to see him. I am now a regular!!

Judy

 

[hollie9]

Every time I have thyroid checked it is just TSH, not in depth thyroid tests. I come out normal on TSH but have heard stories that you can be normal there and abnormal in depth. How about you, were your Tsh scores normal?

The rheumatologists were thinking I may have psoriatic arthritis which can be a lot like rheumatoid, I have the blood marker. But I'm not following the pattern for an inflammatory arthritis, no early morning start up pain, no red swollen joints, just none of the regular symptoms. So my rheummy just told me to come in if the pattern started, and he is well known to be a very good rheummy.

I have had some bad horse falls in my younger days, one time a horse kept rearing and finally fell over backward and his body landed smack on my hips, I was on a granite rock. I was OK afterward but alway wondered if that could have done some damage.

My knees haven't been through so much but I've been an avid skiier most of my life and the knees do absorb the shocks. I've also done tons of dance, ballet, jazz, and lots of yoga.

I am hypermobile, diagnosed, I can bend every which way. So, as my PT tells me, I've never learned to support my body in a solid way which could lead to problems like this. Hypermobile people have frequent joint dislocations but I'm not sure if they have cartilage problems.

And then it's well known that if your hips or back are bad that can cause the knees to go bad and vice versa. My knee problems started with big meniscis tears. There was a time when I was just a few months out from second hip resurf when I decided to "run" this huge outdoor staircase from the beach. Afterward my knees both swelled up big time and I was icing and swollen forever after, then the menisics tears were discovered. I wish I hadn't had all that meniscis removed, it speeded my way to a TKR.

So I don't know what the deal is and either do the doctors. Maybe I'm just aging and all my prior bad acts are coming home to roost. I am noticing cracking in my neck and jaw when moved in certain ways, hope the cartilage isn't disappearing there too. But I may have had this before and just didn't pay attention to it, I'm on the alert now.

Any ideas?

Hollie