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maumeefootball

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Jan 21, 2009
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Hello to everyone on the forum. I have read several of the posts and I have to say it was very helpful. Unlike other forums this one gives you a positive outlook about TKR and also a ton of useful info. Here is my story. I have been battling a bad left knee since 1979 back then I had something called a Housted for a torn cartilage, major reconstructive surgery involving realigning kneecap, detaching quads, sawing kneecap. A total mess did no good. I followed that up with two scopes over the years and then due to the first surgery I ended up with a peroneal nerve entrapment( you want to talk about pain). A great surgeon was able to decopress the nerve. It was 50/50 that I would walk again. Through all of this my knee now bows out at a 13 degree angle. The right knee has had two scopes but has been very painful lately. Two doctors told me hang in but basically the left knee was a wreck. I got the real sense they were afraid to try and work on it. Did the suparts ,cortisone, pain meds, massage, accupunture, and rehab without success.



So one night I meet a xray tech who starts talking about knee replacement and the bad ones he has seen. Refers me to a Dr. Hergoenreder. in Chagrin Falls OH refers to him as a knee god. I was with him for over an hour. He explained everything in great detail, has all the stats on success rate infection etc, and has been doing this for 27 years. He is also the OS for the NFL retired players assoc.


After all of the long winded background my question to the group is. Which one should I get done first. The really bad left one which I have managed to learn to cope with, or the right one which is stronger but gives me the most pain now. Thanks for your feedback and support

Don Green
 
What your OS recommends. Can you do both ath the same time? That's what I did. One surgery is easier than 2. One recovery is easier also. It's not really any harder (I think).
 
If you can I would get them both done at the same time. I made the mistake that my left knee was feeling pretty good and now 5 months post RTKR I am in extreme pain again but with left knee. New knee feels great. Wish I would have done them both and been done with it.
 
I'm in agreement if you can get them both done at once then do so.

My mother in law had 1 knee done and then a year later the other knee. The problem is you end up walking "crooked" and the limp never seems to go away. Her sister had both knees done at the same time and re-cooped at the same rate, but she didn't have to fear the knife again :)

IMHO, it's better for both knees to hurt equally so you don't stress your other knee or your back.
 
Thanks for the replies. My OS won't do both at the same time. His stats indicate a lower overall success rate when doing both together. When I asked him which one I should have done first he left the choice up to me. He didn't have a strong opinion one way or the other.
 
I had BI-TKR 9 weeks ago and I am glad I was able to do both at once. When I went to the DR. I was prepared to find another surgeon if he did not want to do both at once. He was fully prepared and had a companion surgeon that he regularly worked with. They did both knees at one time my primary surgeon is left handed and did the right knee the other surgeon was right handed and did the left knee. the surgery took just over 2.5 hours and I can not tell the difference other than one had more uniform stitches. I was afraid if I had one done that I would chicken out on the other knee and not be in any better shape than before. If I had it to do over the only change I would make is to not have waited so long. I was in the hospital for 3 days transfered to a rehab hospital for 7 days and then went home and continued rehab for 7 more weeks. I went back to work full time at 8 weeks. I have never regreted having both done at once. at 9 weeks I have 0% extension and 127%+Flexion on both knees. If you decide to have both at once there are two items I would suggest to have available at home 1. A raised toilet seat 2. A chair for the shower 3. A 4inch piece of foam rubber (to put in low chairs)

Good luck!

Max
 
Absolutely get them done at the same time! If he won't, ask him for the name of someone who does do bilaterals. And his stats are his stats - another surgeon who does bilats often will have different stats. Many of the surgeons I have worked with do bilats and their stats say their results are just fine.
 
Don, Like yours, my OS will only do one knee at a time and I ended up having mine done 8 months apart. I had considered having them replaced about 4 weeks apart so that I would have one long recovery instead of two seperate ones but my back went out from the first tkr and I had to get over that before considering a second knee. So, I think it worked for the best because the back recovery would have been even harder to recover from if I didn't have at least one "halfway decent" leg to stand on.

If you are set on this surgeon and it sounds like you might be, ask him how closely he'll do them. I've seen some on the forum have them done as close as a few days apart. Just another suggestion for you. Good luck! Karen
 
Thanks to everyone who responded. Karen you are right I am very set on my surgeon. I have been to a lot of OS over the years some of whom are the best around, plus I have coached football for 30 years so I have seen my share of knee problems in others. I just feel that this OS is head and shoulders above the others in his approach and background. Taking some advice from other threads on the board I feel like I have the right guy and I want to go with him so I have to heed his advice and due one at a time. I will talk to him about how long between we will go. Thanks Don
 
I had mine done 6 months apart; hardly any doctors in my region do bilaterals.

I had my "worse" one done first--but sure enough as soon as I scheduled it, the other began giving me more pain. I told them it was okay to make a mistake and do the wrong one because they were both killing me!

My second recovery was easier. I think it was because I knew what to expect, I had spent several months in PT after the first strengthening both of them, and the second truly was in slightly better shape.

It really won't matter what you choose in the end. I would decide which will be stronger for you to rely on while you recover and do that one second. Trust in your surgeon is very important.
 
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