@Cjackso21 ... you'll notice that I have merged your latest thread with your recovery thread. It is important for us to keep all your recovery information in one place so that we don't have to go searching back through multiple threads when we need to provide advice for you. I left your new title so that it would clearly state what your current concern is.
What is the name of the implant that Dr. Ahmed proposes to use with this revision? Since you've tested positive for nickel allergy, it would not seem wise to replace any components in that knee with a nickel product.
I have checked Dr. Sarim Ahmed in Phoenix (address: 18444 N 25TH AVE, STE 210, PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85023) on the Pro Publica site. Is this the surgeon you're seeing and you just had his name spelled incorrectly? If this is the surgeon, it doesn't appear that he is an experienced revision specialist and he performed fewer than 20 knee replacements under Medicare during their reporting period. He may not be the best doctor for your situation. Since you're seeing him this coming Wednesday, ask him the name of the implant he plans to use and exactly how many cases he's dealt with where there is a problem with a metal allergy. "Many complicated revisions" doesn't tell you much. If he hems and haws, you have your answer.....he's not the right doctor for you.
There is an implant that can work for people who have metal allergies and you may want to call around and see if there is a surgeon in the Phoenix area who uses it so you could get a consultation. It is Aesculap's Gold Knee. You can read more about it
here.
In looking at the Aesculap surgeon listing provided by the company on this link, the closest surgeons to Phoenix are in Nevada. So it may be that you'll have to drive to meet with someone to discuss this option. I looked at Dr. Tait (Henderson, NV) and Dr. Andrew Scott Martin (Las Vegas, NV). Meeting with both would be a good idea. Dr. Tait had a fairly high complication rate on Pro Publica, but he also had a higher volume which is good. The higher complication rate can be a factor that a good revision specialist sees a lot of difficult cases and that can result in an increase of post-op problems. So it's worth discussing this with him. There was another surgeon listed in Long Beach, California, Dr. Serena Young, but knee revisions did not seem to be her specialty.
Another option would be
Smith and Nephew's Oxinum knee. You may have more luck finding a local surgeon who is experienced with this implant. These are surgeons that I know of in the Phoenix area:
Phoenix, Arizona
Dr. Mark Spangehl, Mayo Clinic
Dr. Christopher Beauchamp, Mayo Clinic
D
r. Eral Feng
Dr. Mark Davis
Dr. Amber Randall
I've also asked our CEO if he knows of any appropriate surgeons for you in the Phoenix area. He recommended I contact one of the surgeons who is in Phoenix that we work with. So I've done that and will let you know when I hear back from him.
Please don't rush into this revision. You've had problems with loosening not caused by infection. You've tested positive for a nickel allergy. If you're going to need another revision, you want to do everything possible to make it a success. You need an implant that will provide the least exposure to nickel AND the services of a very skilled revision surgeon.
If you want to discuss this further with me, please make sure to tag me in your post so that I see your questions or conversation quickly. To tag me, you type the "at" sign (@) followed by my name with no space...like this:
@Jamie .