Revision TKR Revision due to flexion instability - (Triathlon TS)

[Silver]

PS @Josephine My mom has one KR that is 32 years old and one that is 27 years old. How about that!!!! She is 89.

 

[skyelark]

Hi all.
I saw my surgeon today and he confirmed that there is lateral movement in my knee, and he said that in hindsight, given the amount of tissue damage to my knee, I might have been better with a different type of implant. However, giving me the different one would curtail the level of ROM that I have right now. He said that there are people who have had knee replacement who would kill to be able to bend their knee the way I can ! The Xrays look good, it's all perfectly aligned so replacing the spacer wouldn't do any good. The only answer would be a total revision, and he pointed out that it's pretty drastic if it's not totally necessary. He'll review me in a year, providing things don't get any worse between now and then.
I'm a bit upset that there's no bettering it, but at least now I know that it's not right, and I've not just been being a wuss for the past three years.

 

[Celle]

Hi @skyelark
I'm sorry you'r going through all this!

So, your surgeon gave you the brush-off for another year! I don't think that's good enough. Is there any way that you can see another surgeon, preferably one who is skilled at doing revisions, and not one who would be part of your surgeon's "old boys" network?
I'll ask @Josephine if she can help you there - although I know the Scottish NHS works slightly differently from the English one.

From what you say, your knee hasn't been right from the start. Your surgeon's reluctance to do a revision tells me that he doesn't feel competent in that area. That's why I'm recommending you ask to see a surgeon who specialises in revisions. I don't think I'd let your original surgeon near my knee again, anyway.

I've had a revision. While they may be technically difficult to do, my experience as a patient was that it was no harder to recover from than my original surgery.

We've had people here on BoneSmart who have had successful revisions and say that their knee feels much better afterwards (once the recovery period is over).

 

[Josephine]

The only answer would be a total revision, and he pointed out that it's pretty drastic if it's not totally necessary.

While they may be technically difficult to do

For such a case as your, @skyelark it's unlikely to be that complicated. That comes with things like infection or fractures. Otherwise, the bone just needs to be freshened up on the cut surfaces so it's not that big a deal and your recovery shouldn't be either. However, every time one has surgery you are exposed to all the complications and risks that are inherent in it which include blood clots, pulmonary embolis, infection, haemorrhage, ligament, artery or nerve damage in the area around the knee joint, adhesions (scar tissue) and things like CRPS or RSD

My mom has one TKR that is 32 years old and one that is 27 years old. How about that!!!! She is 89

Oh wow! That is good to know. I just saw a UK government site on healthcare that cited they 'only' last 10-15 years if used carefully and not subjected to too much pressure!

 

[skyelark]

Its now official. I go in on Monday 10th Aug for a revision. Despite thinking I probably COULD have waited a year, it got to the stage where at one point I was sitting on concrete steps, in torrential rain, at 6am in the morning waiting for pain to settle after my knee clunking out and back in again, and I realised that if it was like this in summer, there was no way I was going to make it through winter.
I'm getting a Triathlon TS knee this time. My surgeon says it should be a lot more stable.
I'm not looking forward to it, because I haven't forgotten yet what the last one was like, and I haven't had the luxury of knowing the relief of being 'right', but, I'm confident that THIS time it's going to be fine, and that I'll be dancing at my daughter's wedding in March 2016 .
Time to dig out the crutches, the gel packs, and all the other stuff that got me through it last time. Think I'll also need to work out some way of discouraging my bouncy Labrador from thinking that Mum's legs are an alternative to her bed as a great place to sleep.

 

[Pumpkin]

Will be thinking of you on Monday, and sending positive thoughts for an uneventful surgery and recovery.
Can't really help you with the bouncy Labrador thinking your legs are the perfect doggie bed.

 

[PolarBear60]

And I thought a 14 lb cat was a tough leg ornament to shake at night. Since the surgery, she's somehow taken to giving me more space for my legs. I've been amazed. Looking forward to your successful recovery from this revision.

 

[puppywalker]

skyelark - I've only just read your posts, but if you're still looking for a sleeve for your knee, I just purchased a LASTRAP sleeve from Amazon UK. I am also the proud possessor of "chubby" (OK, fat!) thighs and this one fits from mid-thigh to mid-calf like a dream and does not roll down. It's not neoprene, but like a thick knit stocking with a super-stretchy bit that goes over your knee. It's so comfortable and has made a huge difference to my lurching and painful gait. It cost £10 + p&p or free delivery if you get 2. Wish I'd found these months ago!

 

[Silver]

Hey Skyelark, I am so sorry you are having to go through this but really hoping that this fixes the problem. I will be watching your thread! And thinking about you as you go through this again.
I had my right knee done March 4 and it is going to be absolutely great so there is hope out there! lol But my poor left knee may never be okay. It has had two surgeries and still has issues. But they are hopeful that as the right continues to get stronger, the left will do better. Or at least my right can drag it along. I would dearly love to climb steps normally but that seems a distant past.
Anyway, I hope this does it for you. You can do the recovery. It is what it is. I have had 3 surgeries in 3 years time on these dang knees and I have that part down! You will too!! Hang in there and I will keep an eye out.
Silver

 

[skyelark]

skyelark - I've only just read your posts, but if you're still looking for a sleeve for your knee, I just purchased a LASTRAP sleeve from Amazon UK. I am also the proud possessor of "chubby" (OK, fat!) thighs and this one fits from mid-thigh to mid-calf like a dream and does not roll down. It's not neoprene, but like a thick knit stocking with a super-stretchy bit that goes over your knee. It's so comfortable and has made a huge difference to my lurching and painful gait. It cost £10 + p&p or free delivery if you get 2. Wish I'd found these months ago!

Thanks puppywalker ! I'll look into these, because even if the new knee is stable, I think I'm always going to have that soft tissue mess which some support will help

 

[skyelark]

Hey Skyelark, I am so sorry you are having to go through this but really hoping that this fixes the problem. I will be watching your thread! And thinking about you as you go through this again.
I had my right knee done March 4 and it is going to be absolutely great so there is hope out there! lol But my poor left knee may never be okay. It has had two surgeries and still has issues. But they are hopeful that as the right continues to get stronger, the left will do better. Or at least my right can drag it along. I would dearly love to climb steps normally but that seems a distant past.
Anyway, I hope this does it for you. You can do the recovery. It is what it is. I have had 3 surgeries in 3 years time on these dang knees and I have that part down! You will too!! Hang in there and I will keep an eye out.
Silver

Great to see you Silver and good to be still sharing the journey with you . Pre-op tests all went well this morning, but I think I'm more nervous this time round because I know what I'm signing up for . I'll just keep telling myself that this time next year, it'll all be a fading memory .

 

[wberry]

I to wish you well. I am very early on getting my replacement corrected. See my second opinion revisionist next week. i will see one more before I get it done. I plan to get mine done before the year is out, my insurance will cover it 100%

 

[skyelark]

I forgot to add, when I was at my pre-op assessment, I gathered up the courage to tell them that I did NOT want a particular physiotherapist seeing me while I'm in . I couldn't remember her name, but when I described her, they knew exactly who I was talking about.
She's probably very good at her job, and maybe our personalities just clashed, but with the original knee replacement, she made me cry.
I knew the importance of the exercises, the other PTs were pleased with my progress, but she tried to bully me into doing more on day three. Left me in a lot of pain and in tears. When the nurse saw the state I was in, she went and spoke to the individual who then came back to apologise, but still insisted if I didn't do as I was told by her, that I'd never get better.
Despite the problems I'm having now with the flexion instability, my ROM is 120 degrees, so yaboo to her !
So, I'm glad I had the guts to say that I don't want her anywhere near me. I'm not a crier, but if I was, there's enough to cry about in those first few days without having a bully add to it.

 

[kneeper]

Good for you!

 

[skyelark]

While I was at work today , hubby took a phone call from the Hospital, saying that they'd been in touch with my GPs surgery , asking them to make up an emergency prescription for a special body wash and nasal spray that I have to use from now until my surgery on Monday morning.
Is this routine these days? or does this mean that I've tested positive for MRSA? - I've never had to do this before . Is it something to worry about ?

 

[Slainte]

It might just the new routine, although why they had to rush an emergency prescription for it I can't imagine
Unless somebody just dropped the ball. Here in the US, I had to wash down with hibiclens the night before and the morning of. No nasal spray, however. They did do a nasal swab as part of the pre-op workup to test me for MRSA, however. Best wishes for a smooth journey this time through.

 

[puppywalker]

It's routine, Skyelark - I had to shower with hibiscrub for 48 hours before my surgery. They just want to minimise any risk of infection. They also did nasal swabs. Which hospital are you going to?

 

[chris042]

Yes, it is routine. I had the same thing, a bottle of Hibiclens to bathe with and they did a nasal swab looking for infection a week before the surgery. It's just a safeguard.

 

[skyelark]

It's routine, Skyelark - I had to shower with hibiscrub for 48 hours before my surgery. They just want to minimise any risk of infection. They also did nasal swabs. Which hospital are you going to?

Going into the Murrayfield in Edinburgh . It just seemed to be all a bit of a panic. I was in for my pre-op assessment on Wednesday , then on Friday got the call saying there was an emergency prescription being made up for me!

 

[skyelark]

Here we go again !, Awake at stupid o'clock, overthinking everything and no matter how much I consciously force myself to relax and do the 'breathing thing', I find myself all tense again within a few minutes. Ah well, another 36 hours, and it'll be the start of the beginning of the journey proper.

Could I have the title of my thread changed to 'Revision after three years due to flexion instability - (Triathlon TS)' please?