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TKR Right TKR is done

Any tips on adding a photo?I am tryin to do it with the upload a file button here but it says it's too latge. I don't know how to use all the tools, so if there is a way I can add it from my phone here I could use the help.
 
Can you use a photo edit program on your phone to do it. I'll tag @ACDCJen. She did it all the time. Maybe she can help you.
 
It is best to see the OS. My incision, from my TKR, wept for longer than 2 weeks. I still have two small scabs on the top and bottom of my incision. Those suckers just don't want to fall off.

Hoping you stop weeping and start scabbing so you can move on to knee number 2!!!
 
Thanks for the support. I'm trying to freeze it up today with icing!:heehee:
 
Finally, the current hole is just about in the middle. Where all the scabbing is was where the first hole area was.

[Bonesmart.org] Right TKR is done
 
So this hole and leaking are from a new area?
 
Hey you figured it out! Even if it's slowed down I think it's still wise to see the os.
 
Yes, you should definitely see your OS, especially since your incision leaked such a large volume of fluid.
When is your appointment?
 
I agree. Though from the photo it just looks a little scabby.
 
I am going to be worked in between 930 and 10 tomorrow morn for an appointment. I have an hour drive there so needed a bit of time to get up and ready to go.
Yes, this is the hole AFTER I had surgery to fix a hole that was closer to the top of the original incision. That area is where all the scabbing is on the bottom of the photo. The orientation of my leg in the photo is that my knee is at the top of the photo and bottom is my thigh area.
Even though the amount of fluid coming out has slowed down it still is draining so more than likely it's another seroma type drainage tract. It shouldn't happen a second time when they knew I had it to start with.
 
@Josephine the scabby part is where the hole was that was repaired. If you look a tad bit further up toward the topen there is a dark spot and that is definitely a.hole that you can see when in person.
 
Well the dr didn't have much to say. He said that they can't go in and try to repair it again. He told me I should try to "milk" the fluid out and keep it covered. He put me on doxycycline hyclate 100mg. Twice a day as an antibiotic.
When he came in the room he was shaking his head so his nurse must have filled him in and he said "oh, no". He said we need to get this dried up before any more surgeries and said I should come back to see him next Friday. I told him I was terribly upset and my confidence was at zero right now. What could he say?
When you press hard to get the fluid out it squeaks just like the hole I had before. He assured me that all the cultures they took at the time of my surgery repair two weeks ago came back negative for infection.
I told him that if this goes on for very long I won't be able to have surgery until fall on my knee that desperately needs surgery. I just want it healed by June so I can go to the pool for water exercise. Yard work will be nasty as well as lots of other things so he best be prepared to give me pain meds. I'm beyond sad that I had surgery to repair a seroma and need up with one in a different spot.
 
What a bummer. I am so sorry you are going through this. Does he think it'll stop draining soon? Or does he even know? But, praise God there's no infection! That a blessing. Now, for it to dry up!!
 
Ginger, I'm not sure why he has you on antibiotics if there was no infection and then he keeps changing the antibiotic. Did he say why he changed you to doxycycline? This is what I take for my TKR staph infection. Do you know of or have an infectious disease dr in your insurance group?
 
Did he change the antibiotic without taking another swab? There might have been no infection 2 weeks ago, but that doesn't mean there is no infection now (unfortunately).

I don't want to alarm you, but you do need to keep on top of this and not let it get any worse.
It almost sounds as if your surgeon thought the latest seepage was from the same place.
 
I am so sorry that you are having these issues. I agree with seeing an infectious disease doctor. Also, I am no expert, but it doesn't seem right that you are having to "milk" anything. I would think that it would dry up on its own and that "milking" it would only make things worse. I wish you the best of luck and that things start to look up!!
 
I would make an appointment with an infectious disease doctor to see what they say. I agree that milking it doesn't sound like the best plan IMO.
 
A seroma can heal itself, but while the hole is open, it can be a means for infection to find its way in. Make sure that you use sterile dressings and try to keep it clean and dry.
 
Thanks to all of you. Believe me, I have thought as I was driving home that I'm not so sure he knows what to do with this. The questions in my head led me to Google how to heal a subcutaneous seroma and the more I read, the more upset I got. It said it could be weeks to months to a year to heal up a seroma. So I anticipate it depends on how large it is. Read a study where a hernia patient used talcum powder in the seroma and healed quickly.

I am being very vigilante about my dressing and cautious as well. When I saw the hole yesterday that's when I got on the phone for him to see me today instead of next week.

I was on keflex up until today - which had been for 3.5 weeks already. No word as to why he changed me to the different antibiotic. Maybe it's a precaution on his part. Our clinic has what they call 'patient station' and we can email the doctor that way. Tomorrow I am going to ask more questions via email. No swab was taken today. It looked exactly like the fluid that came out of the hole he fixed in surgery 2 weeks ago.

I'm not going to be forceful in getting fluid out - he was pretty aggressive trying to see if there was much to come out and my thigh is kind of tender tonight. I just rubbed or massaged along the sides of the incision when it all started to run yesterday morning. Squeezing wasn't required.

I will have to look into the infectious disease doctor prospect also. Off the top of my head I don't know of any in the clinic group, but I will look into it. My mom is dealing with a wound clinic in a different facility and we have an appointment for her on Tuesday next week. I plan to ask the dr for his opinion on seroma as well. I'm not getting many answers from my surgeon so I will do my own background work.

Yes, this is a major bummer to me. With all of you dear friends encouraging me and sharing your advice and expertise I can get through this. Just sucks that the surgery was to repair the hole I had and I end up with another one in a different spot.
 
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