Need some postive re-inforcement regarding Conformis knee

[kckid]

Hi. I just joined today…Glad I found his forum! but I definitely could use some words of encouragement as I approach my upcoming TKR on my right knee..

I just turned 60 and have had a long history of knee injuries to my right knee (and a little to my left). I tore my ACL 37 years ago and it was not repaired (At that time
they would place you in a full leg cast) and when the surgeon who operated the next day after my knee locked only did meniscus surgery because he hadn’t realized till he got in there that the ACL was torn 100% and he believed in wearing the knee brace if that did the trick.

Fast forward and over the past 10 years I have had 2 more meniscal surgeries. I have lived with the pain for most of the past 10-15 years but have been able to keep up my passion of refereeing basketball; and umpiring with the aid of some remarkable knee braces. (CTI2’s) . I also had been playing basketball and hockey up unitl 5 years ago..again..with the use of the braces.

Last October (2018) my knee started to get really messed up to the point where ligaments seemed to get “stucK’ and I would have to shake my knee or move it around for it to free up.. This would occur just walking or going up some stairs...it seems to be better now and does not get stuck too often.

At that point, since I had already had the surgery, PT and shots on that knee, to go see a Dr who was highly recommended for knee replacement (Boston). I saw him in Dec and then again Feb. He took a look at my knee (and the xray) and said it was in pretty bad shape.

He recommended knee replacement and gave me some exercises to do in the meantime. The exercises and stretching have improved my knee where it feels ok to walk short distances without a knee brace But if I try to jog or run up my driveway, it is just bone-on-bone, I don’t have any pain at all when it is at rest or sleeping at night. So that is one of the things that I am wondering if I am doing the right thing with knee replacement, because I always hear that people have pain when they are sleeping.

My Dr deals with the Conformis knee (mine would be ITotal CR I believe) which I have read a lot about and find to make sense. I know by reading this forum that the Dr is more important than the knee and I would venture to say that is very true.

I couldn't post the link since I am new to the forum. so I am typing it in:
skytides.com/article/conformis-expert-confirms-significant-product-defects-fda-data-implies-cfms-patients-32

(I think it is written by a financial company dealing with stocks and a lawsuit that was brought against Conformis about 5 years ago) but in reading the opinion of
the Dr that they brought in for questioning regarding the design of the Conformis knee, that's what raised my blood pressure. I know this is just one opinion but I had trouble sleeping last night because of this..

I need some further confirmation to reassure me that I am doing the right thing and that this article was probably beefed up with negatives since it was a lawsuit and it would not surprise me at all that the Dr they brought in for questioning had “something against” the Conformis company.

I was still able to reference this past winter with the knee braces and hope to be back on the field umpiring a couple of months removed from the surgery and then back reffing in the fall!!!

Please tell me I am doing the right thing. I need some positive reinforcement!!!

Thanks

 

[Jaycey]

@kckid Welcome to BoneSmart! If your doc is telling you the knee is bone on bone then yes, it's time for TKR. Waiting will only impact other areas of your body as you will try and compensate for knee pain. When are you having this surgery?

I really don't think anyone here can confirm or deny the claim in this article. I would strongly recommend you speak directly with your surgeon. Ask him why he is recommending this implant and is the implant he is using part of this legal issue. I doubt your surgeon would be able to access any implant that has been recalled.

hope to be back on the field umpiring a couple of months removed from the surgery

Please set realistic expectations. That new knee will need time to heal. Field umpiring within a couple of months may not be possible. And reffing basketball will need to wait until that knee is fully healed and strong. We do have members who run and do all sorts of sports on new knees. But you will need to allow that knee plenty of time to settle post-op.

Here are a couple of articles from our Library that might help you set realistic post-op expectations:
Activity progression for TKRs
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

 

[kckid]

Hi Jaycey..

Thanks for the quick response and the informative links (expectation setting!!).. Wow Now I'm wondering if I should cancel and re-schedule for the fall. and yes., I think I will bring up the article with my Dr and see what he says about it.

 

[Jockette]

Welcome to Bonesmart!

As the wife of a retired basketball coach, I know what your job entails. I spent 20 years on the bleachers watching my husband coach, all 3 of our kids playing, and of course watching the refs run up and down the court.

You really do want to take plenty of time to heal. Some of our members are back to some type of sport within a couple of months or less, but most of us have found the recovery to be much slower than we hoped, and doctors tend to give us the best of the best examples and lead us to unrealistic expectations.

Better to plan on a slow recovery and be happily surprised if it goes better than to plan to be doing activities too soon and then being frustrated and upset that it didn’t happen.

Best wishes with your decisions.

 

[kckid]

Thx Jockette

Wow..20 years..that's a lot of hoop..Thx for setting some of my expectations...sometimes I get way ahead of myself..and this could be in that boat..I will try to take a dep breath and take it slowly...

 

[Jockette]

Both my oldest daughter and my son got their 1000 points in high school.

My husband’s brother and his 3 sons all coach basketball also. I think it’s in their blood!

 

[kckid]

Your son and daughter must have got your genes!!! Congrats....That's awesome stuff!!

 

[PolarBear60]

Yes, manage your expectations. Umpiring will probably be more realistic first, then reffing, after your knee has a full chance at recovery -- maybe more than a year. Probably six months or more for umpiring, and that all depends on your personal recovery. With this in mind, you're likely to lose a full or partial season of one or both sports, so the timing of the surgery may not matter that much.

As for the Conformis, there are a lot of people who swear by them, but I can't say one way or the other. Mine are a different brand. I do think the surgeon's skill is most important, and if you're confident in your surgeon's ability and this is the brand he uses, you should be fine.

 

[Jajakio]

I had my conformis knee done about 18 months ago an i am very pleased. I read some of tne same data you did and freaked too. I did a few months of research and decided to go ahead. Did you know the majority of brands of knees have had recalls and or lawsuits at some time in the past? The important thing is the model you are getting now. The most reacen?t conformis issue a few years back had to do with a specific batch which may not have had all of something from the manufacturing process removed well enough. No infections, just a recall.

This is an important and tough decision. You have to do enough research to satisfy yourself. There have been a few knees with issues and there is the occasional failure. However this is a very successful surgery overall. The majority of issues are not the implant failing it is is things like implant loosening from the bone which can be many different reasons some of which can be bone loss, infection or allergy.

As I said, I am totally satisfied with my conformis knee. Not everyone here is goi ng to agree with me, but my surgeon told me the conformis knee would heal quicker due to less bone being cut and I think that for me it was right. I was off work for 5 weeks completely then eased back in with a few weeks of part time. I'm self employed and can control my time more than most. By 9 weeks i was back full time. But at the 6 month mark i think i was even with people who had the traditional knee, and, yes, it does take a year or better to get as good as you are going to get.

 

[kckid]

So glad I found this forum... you guys are awesome!!! These are the type of replies I need to push forward with my doubts. Also; the for the time perspective on recovery time!!

 

[PolarBear60]

I'm at nearly four and three years from getting my new knees, and I believe I continue to improve, but the improvement increments are extremely small at this point.

 

[Irish471]

Hi there! If you decided to postpone, you might want to see if the surgeon is willing to try gel injections or a cortisone shot to buy you time. Some surgeons want you to try all of the conservative measures.

I have been trying to avoid surgery for 3 years thinking lots of the same things. There's just never a good time to fit this into life ☺ It doesn't bother me all the time and my oxford knee scores vary depending on how active I am. I am having surgery on Monday and I am sitting with a pain level of about a 7 because I can't rely on Motrin prior to surgery, Tylenol doesn't help and I can't ice easily at work. I have a desk job. Just making the 7 mile drive back and forth to work irritated my knee to that degree (it's my right knee).

I look at it this way...it's not going to improve once you're bone on bone. And waiting just continues to add to the damage. It's a tough decision to make, no doubt about it. People say you'll know when it's time. It's true. Life is short. Better to improve your quality of life now rather than waste years suffering. Hope that helps!

 

[kckid]

Can someone tell me how/where I should enter my knee details? Thx

 

[Jockette]

Can someone tell me how/where I should enter my knee details? Thx

Just post your dates here and a moderator will make a signature for you.

 

[kckid]

I had a right knee TKR with a conformis cruciate retaining knee on April 16th

 

[Celle]

Did you know the majority of brands of knees have had recalls and or lawsuits at some time in the past? The important thing is the model you are getting now.

The thing is, when they have a recall or a problem is discovered, they fix the problem. They don't continue using the same model.

As someone else said, the most important factor for teh success of any knee replacement is the skill of your surgeon. That matters far more than the type of replacement hardware.

If you trust your surgeon and he/she has had good results with the knee replacement hardware, then you should trust his/her judgment.

 

[Celle]

kckid has had his surgery and his recovery thread is here:
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/kckids-recovery-thread.53745/

 

[Josephine]

Conformis is a very popular knee and appears to do well.

Here's some helpful articles

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:
Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing knee recoveries