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MIS Vs. Traditional Knee replacement

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FryerTux

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This site is the one I have been looking for! Thanks BoneSmart!
Status: 50yrs old. Live near Nashville. Wore out my left knee playing tennis 1.5 years ago. Had it scoped and have no medial meniscus. Bone on bone.... I cycle quite a bit, but it's beginning to hurt. I would like to go the MIS surgery because this procedure will not cut or manipulate the quadriceps tendon and other muscles around the knee. Problem, I am finding out here in Nashville, it that the ortho's don't like the procedure. Is this new technology? If a patient can shorten rehab and a shorter hospital stay you'd think it would be a popular option. Any Comments or experiences is appreciated.
Peace..
 
I am 58 and had the minimally invasive TKR surgery on December 19, 2007. I can't say that I have recuperated very quickly, but I will say that the scar will be shorter. My scar begins about 2" above the right side of my knee, goes in at a slight angle (still on the right side) and does not extend much below the knee itself. No part of the scar is over the center of the knee, as in traditional knee replacement.
The big problem I am having is an area at the midrange of the incision. I have a large scab there that is in the shape of Africa. It has been about 6 weeks since my surgery, and it hasn't fallen off yet, nor does it show any sign of falling off soon. The area around the scab is all red and swollen, but (I am told) not infected. There is also a lot of bruising on the knee itself under the surface of the skin. The knee feels generally sore. I have good extension, but I can only bend it to about 95 degrees by myself without someone pushing on it. After that, it is just too painful. I can walk well, but I am always conscious of the fact that I have an artificial knee. There is a generally tight and pulling sensation, and I can feel it moving, which is kind of creepy.
Physical therapy is painful, and my progress has really slowed down lately. I go to the gym everyday and try to work the knee, and I spend 3-5 hours a day on a passive movement machine, so I am trying very hard to increase my range of motion. I can't say, therefore, that minimally invasive surgery has been a snap or that it has been easy. At six weeks post-op, I still have a long way to go.
I don't know how a minimally invasive procedure is compared to a normal one, because this is my first knee replacement (and hopefully my last). Recuperation is still a slow and painful process, regardless of the type of surgery you have. My doctor gave me the impression that I'd be out and resuming my normal activities after only three weeks. Believe me, it takes a lot longer than that!
Cosmetically, a minimally invasive procedure will look better than a normal knee replacement. I guess that is something. But it is still likely to take about 8 weeks to heal.
 
This site is the one I have been looking for! Thanks BoneSmart!
Status: 50yrs old. Live near Nashville. Wore out my left knee playing tennis 1.5 years ago. Had it scoped and have no medial meniscus. Bone on bone.... I cycle quite a bit, but it's beginning to hurt. I would like to go the MIS surgery because this procedure will not cut or manipulate the quadriceps tendon and other muscles around the knee. Problem, I am finding out here in Nashville, it that the ortho's don't like the procedure. Is this new technology? If a patient can shorten rehab and a shorter hospital stay you'd think it would be a popular option. Any Comments or experiences is appreciated.
Peace..


Hello, Fryer - love the name!!

The fact is that MIS is still a pretty new procedure and like a lot of new procedures, there are always sceptics. Tis said the medical profession is one of the most reluctant to accept new things and the same is true of this. There are surgeons who have embraced MIS willingly and have already acquired great expertise. There are those who are interested and have tried it out here and there. And there are those such as you have found who are totally opposed to it. Same thing has happened throughout history!

As far as the procedure itself is concerned, like lot of these things there are pluses and minuses.

On the plus side, you get three small incisions instead of one big, central one - less invasion of structures, shorter rehab, faster independence.

On the minus - not suitable for everyone, difficult to find a suitably experienced surgeon, some risk of additional problems as Nancy has described.

If you read around these threads you will find many people reporting on their efforts to find a surgeon and many reports, good and bad, of their post-op experiences. My personal experience is my sister in law who had hers done about 6 months ago, was home in 3 days, and back to normal (and I mean normal!!) in about 6 weeks!

My suggestion is that you keep looking around and phoning around. Can you get out of State? Will your insurance permit it? That way you would have a lot more choice. I am sure a lot of other members will soon be in here adding their comments and I am equally sure they will help you find a surgeon.

Keep us posted on your progress.
 
I am 58 and had the minimally invasive TKR surgery on December 19, 2007. I can't say that I have recuperated very quickly, but I will say that the scar will be shorter. My scar begins about 2" above the right side of my knee, goes in at a slight angle (still on the right side) and does not extend much below the knee itself. No part of the scar is over the center of the knee, as in traditional knee replacement.
The big problem I am having is an area at the midrange of the incision. I have a large scab there that is in the shape of Africa. It has been about 6 weeks since my surgery, and it hasn't fallen off yet, nor does it show any sign of falling off soon. The area around the scab is all red and swollen, but (I am told) not infected. There is also a lot of bruising on the knee itself under the surface of the skin. The knee feels generally sore. I have good extension, but I can only bend it to about 95 degrees by myself without someone pushing on it. After that, it is just too painful. I can walk well, but I am always conscious of the fact that I have an artificial knee. There is a generally tight and pulling sensation, and I can feel it moving, which is kind of creepy.
Physical therapy is painful, and my progress has really slowed down lately. I go to the gym everyday and try to work the knee, and I spend 3-5 hours a day on a passive movement machine, so I am trying very hard to increase my range of motion. I can't say, therefore, that minimally invasive surgery has been a snap or that it has been easy. At six weeks post-op, I still have a long way to go.
I don't know how a minimally invasive procedure is compared to a normal one, because this is my first knee replacement (and hopefully my last). Recuperation is still a slow and painful process, regardless of the type of surgery you have. My doctor gave me the impression that I'd be out and resuming my normal activities after only three weeks. Believe me, it takes a lot longer than that!
Cosmetically, a minimally invasive procedure will look better than a normal knee replacement. I guess that is something. But it is still likely to take about 8 weeks to heal.


Nancy, I am so sorry to hear of your bad experiences. My first comment is that it can very much depend upon what your condition was before the surgery. If the knee was in a bad state then it will take longer to recover, no doubt about it.

Also, that scab on your wound is a sign that the surgeon had a bit of a struggle to get it done. I am not saying he did anything wrong, just that it was difficult and in his struggles the instruments caused abrasions on the skin edges. I have seen it happen on occasions and sometimes those abrasions took a long time to heal. I am sorry to say that your experience is not the usual one but not a situation that will be impossible to overcome so long as you put all your effort and commitment into the physiotherapy. There is also a possibility that you may have some scare tissue in around the joint and may need a manipulation under anaesthetic some time to free it up. Don't worry about that. It's a quick job and helps get things loosened up so you can get going again. Read around the threads in the other knee forum. You will find several members who had this done.

I wish you all the best. Keep sharing with us. I think you will find it helps.
 
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