Revision TKR Revision TKR - Total Revision August 5, 2022

I wanted to have minimal invasive surgery, and two weeks before my surgery date, I find out that he does not perform minimal invasive surgery.

I’ve been reading about your recovery. I had a PKR a month ago and now I realize there’s no such thing as a minimally invasive knee replacement. I thought I would recover faster with a partial but I seem to be struggling with the same obstacles as members with a TKR.
Good luck to you as well. The knee replacement surgery has a so complicated Recovery where some people recover quickly and some others last one to two years. I had a difficult time making the decision for going through he surgery, and thought about it for at least eight months, talk with different people who had the surgery, my PT, online chat with others, etc, I thought high level pain would last a few weeks, for me I had high level pain until 8-9 weeks post OP. I thought muscle weakness lasts for about six weeks, I had weak muscles in my legs until week 12-14, and still feel weak.
inthought I could resume normal activity by weeks 7-10, I still have not resumed my normal activities. I have retired two and half years ago, so I could wait for resuming my normal activities like traveling, camping, etc.
good luck to both of us, and everyone else.
 
Anyone is having pain walking still after several months of the knee replacement?

I am about five months post Bilateral TKR, and can’t walk more than100 feet without pain In my knees. I have good ROM, 130 and excellent extension. However, my walking without pain has not improved. From the beginning after the surgery, I have had trouble walk8ng without pain. I went shopping at HomeDepot and grocery store last week, and had pain afterward, and did not feel better for several days. To control my pain, I just don’t walk.

please share if you have trouble walking in the early months after your surgery, and did it improve later.

thanks
 
@BTKRmarch11 Are you icing and elevating regularly? Ice for 45-60 minutes several times per day. And try short walks building up the time on your feet very slowly. A big shopping trip is bound to make you sore if you are not walking any other time.
 
Try to remember that your knees aren't even halfway through this year+ healing. With having both done, your body has to heal twice as much at the same time. I believe what you are going through is normal. As Jaycey said, ice, and elevate frequently to reduce your swelling and pain.
 
I had bilateral knee replacement About six months ago. I still have trouble walking distance without pain.
I have less pain biking, but walking becomes painful quickly. I have some swelling on the lower end of the patella bone which becomes painful even at rest, otherwise not much swelling. Anyone had this trouble, what happened eventually for you.
I am concerned.
 
Hi @BTKRmarch11
You'll notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread.
If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
Tagging other members and answering tags

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts?Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.
 
It's not quite 6 months since your surgery and complete recovery takes a full year, so you have plenty of time for improvement. Where your knees are now is not where they're going to end up.

For now, I suggest you restrict your walking to what doesn't cause the pain and swelling. Spend a bit of extra time resting, and you could try elevating and icing again, until your knees settle down a bit.
Then, try gradually increasing the distance you walk.
 
I am 10 months post op and still experiencing a lot of pain. Specially after walking. I can’t tell what is wrong, but my surgeon just tells me it takes time. I have had pain everyday since surgery. Walking gives me more pain, biking less pain. I am active, and have good range of motion, 140.
Muscle pain, joint pain, swelling, fluid built up, etc. have been checked for infection several times, and negative.
how are you doing after 10 months?
 
I would get a second opinion. That much pain seems alot after 10 months and if it bothers you that much you have a right to know why even if it's elsewhere.
 
How much walking do you do?

I do agree with your surgeon that this recovery takes time, and that timeframe is different for each of us. I had a lot of improvement in my second year..
 
When I have less pain that I can carry on with some walking, I walk about 1-2 miles on flat ground.
 
I walk about 1-2 miles on flat ground
If this causes increased pain/swelling, suggest you cut the distances in half, and work up slowly.
You are only about 3/4 through this year long+ recovery, your knee needs time to heal.
 
I am 10 months post op and still experiencing a lot of pain. Specially after walking. I can’t tell what is wrong, but my surgeon just tells me it takes time. I have had pain everyday since surgery. Walking gives me more pain, biking less pain. I am active, and have good range of motion, 140.
Muscle pain, joint pain, swelling, fluid built up, etc. have been checked for infection several times, and negative.
how are you doing after 10 months?
hi BTKRmarch11
My date was March 5, so it was close to yours. I had TKR. I dont have that much pain anymore, but still some stiffness and swelling. I think it slowly is getting better, very slowly.
Pain is not okay, I think? at this point? Maybe you do too much standing and walking?
I think we must be more kind to our body. It has gone through so much.
Best wishes to your recovery
 
I had my bilateral TKR on March 11, 2020. I have nothing but pain, swelling, inability to have any activity without pain, including walking. My surgeon says everything looks good on X-ray, but I don’t feel stable with my new knees. I have pain going up and down stairs, walking, moving about my house, riding bike, etc. I have swelling around my knee joints, my thigh muscles are painful many times at rest. I have a very good range of motion, and have worked on building leg muscle strength. I don’t know how I am going to end up.
I have a condition that is described as Mid Flexion instability. I feel very unstable when bending my knee slightly to walk up an incline surface. I can’t come down a sloped surface without tightening my leg muscles very tightly, in response to a feeling of instability.

for those who are still recovering after one year, what are your symptoms and difficulty.
Thanks
 
@BTKRmarch11
Sorry to hear you continue to have problems with your BTKR's, do both knees have flexion instability?

I had a revision for flexion instability, my knee no longer hurts, I can walk, hike, and go up and down stairs without pain.
You might have "mild" flexion instability, sounds like that mild problem is having a major impact on your life.
Fill out the score chart so you can see just how much your life is being impacted by your knees.
Score chart: how bad is my arthritic hip/knee
Print a copy so you and your surgeon can see just how much your life is being impacted by your flexion instability.


Recommend you seek a second opinion for your TKR, from a surgeon specializing in Revisions, they have the education and background to determine what is happening with troubled knees. Look for a surgeon specializing in complex joint reconstruction or revisions. They should have no relationship with your present OS, not even golf buddies.

You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:
  • That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.
So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.

Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
How can I find my threads and posts?
 
Last edited:
I have constant recurring fluid build up and pain in my knees. I had bilateral 13 months ago. March 11, 2020. Can’t walk more than 10 yards without starting to feel pain in my knees and gets worse with more activity and walk. Feel a little bit laxity and instability, but have never fell. Going up and down the stairs are with pain.
My OS wants to replace the spacer with a thicker and more constraining version spacer.

please share your experience if you had only changed the spacer and what was you symptoms, how hard was it to recover. Please elaborate.
Thanks
 
@BTKRmarch11
Generally recovery after a spacer exchange is not as involved or as long as a TKR, less tissue is disrupted and no bones are cut.
You should find that your knee is more stable, with decreased swelling.

You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:
  • That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.
So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.

Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
How can I find my threads and posts?

Thanks,
Chris
 
Last edited:
My bilateral same day surgery was on March 11, 2020. I have yet to gain proper stability in my both knees. I have had a very difficult painful recovery for a long time. I am now free of the trauma to my knees from the surgery. But I can’t walk without building up pain in both knees within walking of 10-100 yards. A lot of movements in the knee joints. I have started wearing knee braces over both knees when I am out and about walking during shopping or any outdoor activity. The brace helps a lot. I can walk for a much longer distance and do a lot more with the braces. I don’t wear them inside the house normally, I could have several painful steps immediately when getting up to go to the bathroom just 10-15 feet away from my bed.
I have got more than five second opinions. All have said the femur and tibia pieces are placed very well. Two of the second opinions is to exchange the inserts with a thicker and more conforming design, to limit excess movements inside my knee joint. One second opinion said I need a complete revision changing everything to a Posterior Stabilized design. He thinks my PCL integrity is lacking and changing the spacer alone may not work. I am in the process of getting another second opinion from another surgeon, and he has so far saying that it is too early to go through a revision. He wants to wait at least 18 months post op. Some signs have appeared on my right knee Tibia bone which may be concerning, a possible start of loosening tibia plate due to instability. I am getting nuclear 3phase bone scan soon, and have done knee fluid drawn for testing, and blood test. So far no sign of low grade infection which could be a source of pain without any other symptoms.
I am going to continue searching for a solution. I won’t rush this time. I have found a few good surgeons who also specialize in Revision surgery. My own surgeon is also a Revision specialist. I am going to wear my braces to minimize my pain, swelling and damage to my existing components in my knees, and hopefully, I will need just an exchange of the spacers. Most likely I will wait until September 2021, eighteen months post my original surgery date.
I tried many knee braces until I found the one that helps the most. I found Don Joy A22 knee brace to work the best. My knee brace should protect for both ACL and PCL. A simple hinged knee brace is not enough.
 
@BTKRmarch11 ,
Glad to hear you are having a nuclear scan for loosening. If you have loosening, there is no doubt you will need a revision. Rather waiting if this is the case you may want to proceed sooner than 18 months.
I had my revision at about 34 months.

You will notice I have copied your post in Mistyfuse1's thread, a copy is now in both threads.

All the best in your search for answers,
Chris
 
Hi Three months may seem a long time but recovery time it is very short. I am just over 3 weeks after PKR and still have a lot of pain. You do question yourself about the correct procedure I waited nearly 12 months to get the surgeon that i wanted expecting it would make a easier recovery but at the end of the day they have chiseled your bones away and implanted foreign objects into your body. Your immune system does not like foreign objects and is acclimatising. My work colleague had a TKR just over 2 years ago and only now is he benefiting from it. Most humans are not patient and this can be really challenging stick with it you will get there.
 

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