Newby with first question

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giulia

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May 6, 2009
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United States
I need a knee replacement and am so glad to have found this discussion group. I have many questions, but let me start small. I haven't found a surgeon with whom I'm comfortable in the town in which I live. I made appointments with Russell Windsor and with Bryon Nelson at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Has anyone had surgery with either one of these surgeons, and if so, would you be willing to tell me about your experience? I have truly enjoyed reading the posts on this site over the last couple of weeks. It has been so informative.
Giulia
 
Hi, Giulia! Welcome to BoneSmart. We're glad you found us and we'll be here for you if you have questions or concerns both before and after your surgery. Feel free to post any time - even if it's just to pop in and say hello. This is a very friendly and caring group.

You don't mention where you live in the US....that might help people repond to your question about the surgeons you talked to. Here is a link within BoneSmart so that you can search out other (broken link removed: https://bonesmart.org/clinic_lookup.php.

If you are in a small community, it may be that you need to travel to a larger city to find the right person. You are so wise to be searching for the BEST surgeon you can find. That is critical to your success.
 
Find a surgeon that does hundreds of these per year. The actual prosthesis is not as important as the skill of the person implanting it in your body. If you are in a small town it may be necessary to travel to a larger city. I had BI-TKR in latter 08, both done at once with two different surgeons both do in excess of two hundred of these per year. At 6 months post op I have no limitations except what I place on myself. I cannot tell the difference between the two and unless I was told could not have told the difference between the two. All of the prosthesis are robotically machined to very tight tolerances so the only room for error is in their placement. Get a good DR. and rely on his expertise.

Max

you have truly found a great resource in this site.

Best wishes!
 
Yes, find the best surgeon you can comfortably get to. Don't worry about whether it is in the same town or not. This is too important in the long run to worry about being close to home for the three or four days you will be in the hospital.

Hey, in my case, i flew 1600 miles and spent three weeks in a city in another country just to get the doc I wanted. I could have done it easier and closer...but this is pretty serious stuff we are talking about here. Only in a big hospital or city are you going to find an OS who can make a full time job out of this in a competitive area, and that's the kind of guy you want.

I wouldn't recommend flying somewhere, if you don't have to. I live on a little island and I had to. But a half a day's drive would certainly be reasonable to get to the nearest good guy.
 
Hi Guilia!Welcome to the forum! I just had TKA on the left knee on May 11. I don't know either of your surgeons, but I echo the other advice I've heard that it's great to find surgeons with lots of experience doing your type of surgery. Some questions I asked my surgeon were: anticipated recovery time, type of knee, list of medications (when to stop certain ones prior to surgery), recommended physical therapy options.
Happy to discuss anything you want to talk about! I'm two weeks fresh out of surgery and so I remember a lot of the early stuff since I'm still doing it!
Donna
 
Welcome Guilia,
It may help if you told us what region of the US you live in....
There are so many OS all over the world. Some hold excellent reputations, and others not so excellent.......
I found an OS within NH with an excellent reputation. I had BTKR last June and am doing well! I have most of my life back. I still need to work on my stamina and lose weight! Not fun carrying around an extra 40 pounds!
I will echo what everyone else suggests, find an OS who specializes in TKR and does lots of them every year!
Best,
 
Thank you all for your kind welcome and replies. I'm from the Southwest and have visited several surgeons here but haven't found one who is willing to answer my questions fully or who does more than 200 knees a year or who has done more than a few surgeries a year on rheumatoid arthritis patients. I'm from the East Coast originally and am willing to travel back there for my surgery. After much research, I have decided to see two doctors, Russell Windsor and Bryon Nelson, who do many knee replacements each year at HSS in New York, but I haven't talked to anyone who has been a patient of theirs. It would just be an added bonus.

I've learned so much from this site, and I hope someone can help.
Giulia
 
It's not actually necessary that they have that much experience on rheumatoid patients. All surgeons will have done some but in the end, a TKR is so routine it doesn't really matter what's caused the arthritis. I really wouldn't worry about that.
 
Giulia, sounds like you have a good plan. Keep us posted on your progress. We'll always be here for you if you have questions or concerns.
 
Hi Giulia, Where in the southwest are you? When my husband retired we are moving out west to AZ we have been there many times and love it but now not the time to sell our house here in the east. I live in N.J. and have heard about the N.Y. hospital for special surgery its on commericals every day. I am going to Philadelphia in June to meet a new doctor, I had my replacement but it is loose and needs a revision done,lucky me,I just looked under for the fun of it what Jamie said to check (possibilities for a surgeon and hospital near you) and this group was in the list so I feel good about that.Did you google thoses doctors names sometimes someone will write something very good or bad about doctors.
 
Hi Tooyoung
We are in Tucson. We moved here from Philadelphia and I had my hip replaced there 9 years ago. I had a wide choice of excellent surgeons there. I've read quite a bit about the two surgeons at HSS in New York and feel as comfortable with them as I can before meeting them or talking to someone who has been to them. I will meet them the first week in June and am really looking forward to it.
Do you mind if I ask who you are seeing in Philadelphia? Best of luck on your revision. When are you having it done?
 
Hi Giulia, I am going to see a Dr.Booth he is with 3B orthopaedic group,Booth,Bartolazzi,Balderston they are on Spruce St. and work out of Penn.Hospital.I am going to see him June 15 for the 1st time, I just saw a doctor here on Monday he said i have complcations going on with this knee and he said Booth was one of the best.
 
Hi Tooyoung, I had an appointment with him a couple of months ago and he is so gracious and caring. At the moment, he is at the top of my list, but I want to see the docs at HSS before I make a final decision. Dr Booth said he does only knees and does between 1300 and 1400 a year. You will be in good hands. I hope you like him.
 
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