United StatesI’m looking for some advice, hopefully someone out there can help me. I have a diagnosis of grade II spondylolisthesis L5/S1, 48% slippage, bilateral pars defects that have pulled away about 1”, severe disk degeneration S1-L3. I am also looking at bilateral TKR. All are a result of traumatic injury. Does anyone have any advice or experience on which issue to deal with first, considering the surgeries, recovery, PT, etc. Thanks for any input.
Bilateral TKR TKR advice
- Thread starter SWGJ
- Start date
Wow....so sorry to hear of your traumatic injury. That definitely adds an element that most people don't have when facing joint replacement surgery. Your decision is most likely going to be based on which is the most troublesome for you. Have you had this discussion with your surgeon(s)? That would seem to be a good place to start. And did you think you would have both knees done at the same time? With unresolved spine issues, that may be a lot more difficult for you.
My gut feeling would be to address the spine first, if your knee pain was something you could deal with for a while. Perhaps if you could provide more details about the injury and what you're living with now in terms of pain and decreased functionality, that would help us to offer some suggestions for you.
One thing I would suggest is to meet with a neurosurgeon about your spine issues if you haven't done so already. These surgeons are usually a bit more experienced and skilled in matters of the spine than orthopedic surgeons and can sometimes be helpful in determining what treatments or surgery would be most helpful.
My gut feeling would be to address the spine first, if your knee pain was something you could deal with for a while. Perhaps if you could provide more details about the injury and what you're living with now in terms of pain and decreased functionality, that would help us to offer some suggestions for you.
One thing I would suggest is to meet with a neurosurgeon about your spine issues if you haven't done so already. These surgeons are usually a bit more experienced and skilled in matters of the spine than orthopedic surgeons and can sometimes be helpful in determining what treatments or surgery would be most helpful.
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I have some references for the knee surgery, the same name keeps coming up but I’m still researching for a back surgery. I agree that a neurosurgeon is the only option for the back. I live in a small town so travel of up to 250 miles is a likely outcome. The whole situation has been a Workers Comp battle for many years but I’ve prevailed in the final judgment. I’ve been on the maximum allowable prescription of Tramadol for a long time, it helps mitigate the pain enough to be tolerable but it has been a downhill battle. I have to alternate between standing/walking and sitting about every 15-20 minutes. Can’t lift much or I end up regretting it for days. Right now I’m thinking that the back is the more serious problem and having been through two orthoscopic surgeries on the left and one on the right for meniscus tears and then PT I’m not sure I could do the PT for knees right now and thus limit the potential recovery. But you know what, I have a great family, much of it nearby with grandkids that I see almost every day, so I’m happy! Thanks for your reply.
New update. Had X-rays, MRI, CT scan in February and all showed that the issues with the lower lumbar area would require surgery to remove the damaged L5 disc and fuse L5-S1. Met with the neurosurgeon at end of April for the pre-op appointment and were discussing what would need to be done and what recovery would consist of. Then he looked at the last CT scan he had just ordered the week before and said he wasn’t going to do the surgery. The disk had completely disappeared and the vertebrae had fused together on their own. He told me to get the TKR on both knees done and then he could see what needed to be done to relieve the pinched nerves in my lower back, but that this was going to be much easier than what was originally anticipated. This was definitely a miracle in my eyes.
Well I can't say I have ever heard of this happening. But hey - sounds like good news for you. Now to get those TKRs scheduled.
