Knee Infection* Serrapeptase
- Thread starter Sienna
- Start date
Thank you for clarifying your knee's history, @Sienna . I'll alter your signature, to make it easier to see what you had done.
In a normal knee replacement, the spacer is the plastic disk between the two metal components. It stops the metal pieces from rubbing together and possibly creating chips of metal.
Antibiotic Spacers are made with bone cement that is loaded with antibiotics. The antibiotics flow into the joint and surrounding tissues and, over time, help to eliminate the infection. They can only be inserted after the original replacement hardware has been removed.
Antibiotic spacer.
Antibiotic beads are implanted with the artificial knee joint, to slowly release antibiotics for several weeks. You can see them in this X-Ray, below:
Antibiotic beads in place.
I hope this helps you to understand a little better.
In a normal knee replacement, the spacer is the plastic disk between the two metal components. It stops the metal pieces from rubbing together and possibly creating chips of metal.
Antibiotic Spacers are made with bone cement that is loaded with antibiotics. The antibiotics flow into the joint and surrounding tissues and, over time, help to eliminate the infection. They can only be inserted after the original replacement hardware has been removed.
Antibiotic beads are implanted with the artificial knee joint, to slowly release antibiotics for several weeks. You can see them in this X-Ray, below:
I hope this helps you to understand a little better.
@Sienna , you asked me this in a PM:
I can't give you an absolute guarantee, Sienna, that you will be safe, but I think you should.
However, do contact your surgeon and Infectious Diseases doctor first, and see what they advise.
The bacteria in your mouth, usually Streptococcus Viridans, are not the ones most likely to cause an infection in your knee or hip.
Obviously, since you're already having pain in your tooth, it needs to be fixed, to make sure you don't develop a dental abscess, which would be more dangerous.
While BoneSmart normally advises that it isn't necessary to take antibiotics for dental work, there are exceptions to this and in your circumstances it would be wise to take them.
I have copied it into your recovery thread for two reasons:
- It is part of your knee's recovery history.
- Other people may benefit by seeing your question and my response.
I can't give you an absolute guarantee, Sienna, that you will be safe, but I think you should.
However, do contact your surgeon and Infectious Diseases doctor first, and see what they advise.
The bacteria in your mouth, usually Streptococcus Viridans, are not the ones most likely to cause an infection in your knee or hip.
Obviously, since you're already having pain in your tooth, it needs to be fixed, to make sure you don't develop a dental abscess, which would be more dangerous.
While BoneSmart normally advises that it isn't necessary to take antibiotics for dental work, there are exceptions to this and in your circumstances it would be wise to take them.
Sienna,
I am so sorry to read these terrible posts about your several infections. I have had a similar experience except I have gratefully only have had one infection in each knee after several TKR's in both knees.
My biggest problem is that I was bedridden for 4 months and now I am unable to walk.
I went to the hospital June 2018 with the infections and was in the hospital and/or rehabs till January 2019. Now here we are at one year plus and I still cannot walk without the aid of a walker and that is only for approx. 100 feet. I am at my wits end!!! I have already said to my surgeon if another infection occurs I will seriously consider a leg amputation. My neighbor had one while I was in the hospital and he was walking and back to work before I even got out of the hospital!!
Thanks for listening.
I am so sorry to read these terrible posts about your several infections. I have had a similar experience except I have gratefully only have had one infection in each knee after several TKR's in both knees.
My biggest problem is that I was bedridden for 4 months and now I am unable to walk.
I went to the hospital June 2018 with the infections and was in the hospital and/or rehabs till January 2019. Now here we are at one year plus and I still cannot walk without the aid of a walker and that is only for approx. 100 feet. I am at my wits end!!! I have already said to my surgeon if another infection occurs I will seriously consider a leg amputation. My neighbor had one while I was in the hospital and he was walking and back to work before I even got out of the hospital!!
Thanks for listening.
OP
OP
Sienna
new member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2019
- Messages
- 16
- Age
- 65
- Gender
- Female
- Country
United States
Hi Beacher! Thanks for writing! Sounds like you have been through the wringer also! I have been Google searching cures for these infections! Good news coming out way! Don't settle on amputating anything yet.
At Massachusetts General they are coming up with new material to make implants out of in the future to get rid of the film that attaches to the implant, and a much more effective way to get rid of infection and CURE IT FOR GOOD! So we have more waiting to do, but something is coming. Guess I'll need to be on antibiotics for a couple years til this discovery starts being done on humans! Good luck, don't give up! They are working on it,! Take care!
At Massachusetts General they are coming up with new material to make implants out of in the future to get rid of the film that attaches to the implant, and a much more effective way to get rid of infection and CURE IT FOR GOOD! So we have more waiting to do, but something is coming. Guess I'll need to be on antibiotics for a couple years til this discovery starts being done on humans! Good luck, don't give up! They are working on it,! Take care!
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Sienna,
Thanks for the response. I am more worried about not being able to walk again rather than another infection. I guess that is stupid but the more I can't get up and walk the more I worry. Peace
@sistersinhim I will start a thread. B
Thanks for the response. I am more worried about not being able to walk again rather than another infection. I guess that is stupid but the more I can't get up and walk the more I worry. Peace
@sistersinhim I will start a thread. B
I imagine the answer to your question is yes. Have you talked to the person treating your infection? They should be able to give you guidance on this.
Sara61
Staff member since March 23, 2020
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2019
- Messages
- 2,957
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- Portugal
@Sienna I would follow Jaycey's advise contact your health physician regarding your concerns with this virus as people with low immunities are more vunerable.
So sorry you have been through so much as I haven't experienced any infections all I can do is send you a virtual hug and pray that it all gets better for you xxx
So sorry you have been through so much as I haven't experienced any infections all I can do is send you a virtual hug and pray that it all gets better for you xxx
OP
OP
Sienna
new member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2019
- Messages
- 16
- Age
- 65
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
I am on immunosuppressant antibiotic therapy for a knee replacement that keeps getting infected. ( 5 surgeries) Should I be concerned about this Covid 19, since I don't have any symptoms? ( i.e: no cough, fever and am breathing fine). I am in Michigan, and our state is on lockdown except for, gas groceries or emergencies. Trying to flatten the curve by staying home for 2 weeks.thanks, sue
Staying home is the best thing for all of us. If you have no symptoms, then you are probably just fine.
COVID-19 is a viral infection that only affects the respiratory system. Joint infections are bacterial. There really is not a connection between the two so there is no risk of you getting this type of infection in your knee. But, you need to be taking good care of yourself so that you don't contract the coronavirus.....just like everyone. Follow all the CDC guidelines. Since the antibiotics are suppressing your immune system to some degree, you are in a higher risk group for problems should you get the virus. The fact that you have no symptoms presently is a good thing.
Not that I'm aware of.
Your poor knee has been through such a lot. It's likely that it will take longer than many knees do, to lose all these symptoms. Be kind to it and to yourself and allow your knee the extra time it needs.
It's OK to still take something, such as Tylenol, for the pain.
Sienna, I'd love to be able to tell you of something that would hurry up your recovery or ease any discomfort you're having from tightness. But the only thing that's going to work is time. Celle is right on target with her comments. Yours is not the normal knee by any means. Having as many surgeries as you've had in such a short period of time really traumatizes the soft tissues. It's important for you to treat them gently for an extended period of time so they can settle.
If you have access to a stationary bicycle, that might make you more comfortable in terms of stiffness. With both my knees, they'd get stiff during the night when I was sleeping. I'd get up and do about 5 minutes on the bike and they would loosen up just enough so I could go back to sleep with some ice. Just gentle turns, though, with no resistance. The gentle rotating motion sometimes helps relieve that tight feeling. Be sure not to overdo it. If you don't have an exercise bike, you could purchase a relatively inexpensive pedaler on Amazon if you want to give this a try.
If you have access to a stationary bicycle, that might make you more comfortable in terms of stiffness. With both my knees, they'd get stiff during the night when I was sleeping. I'd get up and do about 5 minutes on the bike and they would loosen up just enough so I could go back to sleep with some ice. Just gentle turns, though, with no resistance. The gentle rotating motion sometimes helps relieve that tight feeling. Be sure not to overdo it. If you don't have an exercise bike, you could purchase a relatively inexpensive pedaler on Amazon if you want to give this a try.
OP
OP
Sienna
new member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2019
- Messages
- 16
- Age
- 65
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
Do you, or any of the doctors know of other material being used for knee replacement besides steel? I am asking, because every implant I have had has been compromised with infection, the biofilm sticks to it and causes infection, therefore I am not on antibiotics for the life of the prosthetic. Unless a different material can be used, or they come up with a new way to erradicate the infection completely while this prosthetic is in me
Any help or info about new treatments for immunocompromised people would be of great help. Thank you!
Any help or info about new treatments for immunocompromised people would be of great help. Thank you!
Actually implants are made of cobalt-chromium, zirconium, nickel, or titanium and not "steel." There are a couple of implants that have a ceramic coating over the metal, but these are what we recommend when someone appears to have a metal allergy. This is not what you're dealing with. Infections are something quite different.
All of these surfaces have the likelihood of having biofilm attached to them, including the ones with ceramic over the metal surfaces. The presence of the biofilm is not the problem. It's when it is activated that a joint infection occurs. This many times occurs when contamination is introduced during the surgical process. This is likely what happened with your first knee replacement.
There is an increased risk of developing an infection with revisions than with the primary surgery even if the revision was not done because of an infection in the primary implant. Since your original implant became infected, the risk of a second infection is somewhat increased with a second surgery. This is why it is critical to be absolutely sure all the infection is gone before doing the revision. Since infection was again found only a little over a month after your last revision, it is quite likely that your infection was not completely resolved before that second surgery was done.
You're currently 5 months out from your last procedure. Are you being tested for infection? Have those tests shown you are clear of infection? If that's the case, then I'm not sure why you would be worried about another revision and a different implant.
I know you are weary of dealing with your knee and infections for this extended period of time. It can be a very long process sometimes, but infections can be cleared allowing your revision to work just fine.
It will help to know what your concerns are and whether you still have an infection present.
All of these surfaces have the likelihood of having biofilm attached to them, including the ones with ceramic over the metal surfaces. The presence of the biofilm is not the problem. It's when it is activated that a joint infection occurs. This many times occurs when contamination is introduced during the surgical process. This is likely what happened with your first knee replacement.
There is an increased risk of developing an infection with revisions than with the primary surgery even if the revision was not done because of an infection in the primary implant. Since your original implant became infected, the risk of a second infection is somewhat increased with a second surgery. This is why it is critical to be absolutely sure all the infection is gone before doing the revision. Since infection was again found only a little over a month after your last revision, it is quite likely that your infection was not completely resolved before that second surgery was done.
You're currently 5 months out from your last procedure. Are you being tested for infection? Have those tests shown you are clear of infection? If that's the case, then I'm not sure why you would be worried about another revision and a different implant.
I know you are weary of dealing with your knee and infections for this extended period of time. It can be a very long process sometimes, but infections can be cleared allowing your revision to work just fine.
It will help to know what your concerns are and whether you still have an infection present.
