I am awaiting total knee surgery . According to x-rays of both knees, they are both bone on bone. The surgeon i saw recommended doing both knees at the same time, otherwise my walk would not be proper. I am not so sure that i want to do both knees at the same time as i have read that it is harder on the heart, lungs & circulatory system. I experience alot of pain when walking & when in bed after a few hours. I do not have any pain when sitting in a chair or riding in the car. Am wondering if the pain after surgery, when even on meds is much, much worse than when walking with bone on bone? I have been told by someone that had the surgery that it's no worse. Everyone's pain tolerance is different so i find that difficult to believe. It would be a piece of cake then.
pain after surgery
- Thread starter elcammeno
- Start date
- Status
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
United KingdomHi, elcammeno. The pain is different in that while the first is that relentless kind of intense toothache, the post-op pain is mostly due to the soft tissues being cut, specifically the skin and muscle. This more readily lends itself to medication while the former seems to defeat attempts at control by medication. And also, you know this is going to improve over time.
I have heard it said that the brain is only capable of receiving so much pain input and therefore, the post-op pain cannot all that much more from having two knees (or hips) done than from one. There is certainly no evidence that patients having synchronous bilateral knees (or hips) done use any more morphine or other analgesics than those having had one. This is from data collected from using patient controlled analgesia otherwise more erroneously commonly referred to as a morphine 'pump'. I can tell you more about that if you wish.
It is certainly true that if you only have one knee done, the physio (pt) for it is hampered by the limitations of the remaining bad knee. Of that there is no doubt. And since you will probably be having a spinal anaesthetic for this procedure, the 'strain' on the heart and other organs is not that significant.
For your information, the actual single knee replacement procedure takes about 1½-2 hrs whilst having 2 done only increases it to around 2½-3 hrs as there is only one anaesthetic and other procedures to be undertaken. There many, many routine procedures that take 3-5 hours and more and have no particular consequences. Besides which, the anaesthetists nowadays have their patients connected to so much diagnostic equipment they can literally pick up the onset of hiccups let alone anything more serious! (True!)
However, I would be reticent to tell anyone that have TKRs is a 'piece of cake'. I think that may be the height of hubris to mislead a person that way.
Let me know if there is anything else you would like to know.
I have heard it said that the brain is only capable of receiving so much pain input and therefore, the post-op pain cannot all that much more from having two knees (or hips) done than from one. There is certainly no evidence that patients having synchronous bilateral knees (or hips) done use any more morphine or other analgesics than those having had one. This is from data collected from using patient controlled analgesia otherwise more erroneously commonly referred to as a morphine 'pump'. I can tell you more about that if you wish.
It is certainly true that if you only have one knee done, the physio (pt) for it is hampered by the limitations of the remaining bad knee. Of that there is no doubt. And since you will probably be having a spinal anaesthetic for this procedure, the 'strain' on the heart and other organs is not that significant.
For your information, the actual single knee replacement procedure takes about 1½-2 hrs whilst having 2 done only increases it to around 2½-3 hrs as there is only one anaesthetic and other procedures to be undertaken. There many, many routine procedures that take 3-5 hours and more and have no particular consequences. Besides which, the anaesthetists nowadays have their patients connected to so much diagnostic equipment they can literally pick up the onset of hiccups let alone anything more serious! (True!)
However, I would be reticent to tell anyone that have TKRs is a 'piece of cake'. I think that may be the height of hubris to mislead a person that way.
Let me know if there is anything else you would like to know.
- Status
