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Revision TKR Wberry knee is up<

There's no way of know way of knowing why or how this happened. For weeks I wondered how my knee became infected, then months later when I was back to work I remembered a cut I got while on vacation three months before my TKR and how my right leg seeped after it had healed. Knowing this didn't make a difference in how I recovered.
Truly the only thing that helped me was knowing that someone greater than me or my dr was in control. It gave me peace. I still cried and worried, but that was in the back of my mind always.
 
Chances are really slim, Karri, that any infection in your implant resulted from that cut. It just doesn't work that way. You're right not to try and diagnose what happened, because it is rarely anything the patient does.
 
@Kansas Teacher well if you think it will help, they told me he was off all this week. They also told me they would have him look over my records i sent them and then they would make an appointment. Total opposite of what the Wichita OS. They made my appointment and ask me to bring the records.

@Jamie your right, I will do that and post them here for feedback.
 
Well, I have to e-mail him to get some antibiotics for my first dental cleaning post-surgery, @wberry . Maybe I'll mention that I have a friend needing a second opinion and ask how the procedure works. I suppose he is entitled to a week off!

Roxie
 
Well I have been working on my question list. I invite any and all who have recomendations and coments to chime in. I am putting out a special invite to @Josephine, @Jamie, @skigirl, @referee54 because of there unique knowledge and experience. If I didn't list you in this group it does not mean I don't want to hear from you, most defiantly I do.

Questions and What If's for the Revision Surgeons:


Questions About My Revision:

1. What sort of unique training have you had to qualify you to do revision surgeries?
2. How long have you been doing revision surgeries?
3. How many revision surgeries do you do a year and how many have you done in all?
4. How many of your revisions have required additional revisions due to failure?
5. Why should I pick your as a revision surgeon over any other revision surgeon I may be considering?
6. After reading my previous surgeons report and your exam and xray review, what are the major things that are wrong with my knee.
7. Concerning my patella and the clunking, catching and pain, what do you think is causing it?
a. Also, what would you recommend to fix this problem?
b. Will you be requesting additional scans of the knee, xrays, CT, MRI as part of your diagnosis?
c. Is the problem also related to the looseness in my knee?
d. What will happen if I do nothing and continue to allow the patella to catch like it is?
e. Are there any disadvantages to the procedure you are recommending?
f. What is the recovery prognosis for this procedure and what limitations will result if any?
8. Concerning my knee and the looseness, what do you think has caused it?
a. Is there a chance that the looseness can be fixed orthoscopicly?
b. What is your plan for fixing the problem and what does it entail?
c. If we are just talking about a change in the spacer, how will you determine the size of the new spacer?
d. Will the new spacer cause me to loose ROM or cause more restriction and tightness in the knee to such a degree to make it less functional?
e. What if I leave it as it is, will there be further issues, damage and loss of function in the knee?
f. Are there disadvantages to the procedure you are recommending?
g. Will the patella continue to be an issue following this procedure?
h. Does this involve removing either the tibula or femoral component of my implant? If so, why is this necessary?
i. What is the prognosis for recovery from the procedure?
j. Will my looseness return in the future following this procedure? What can I do to guard against it happening again?
k. How long with the revision process last me?
9. Concerning my other knee, is there any advantage to having my other knee replaced as part of this procedure? Would you recommend for or against this possibility?
 
@wberry I edited and rearranged some of your questions. You also had duplications which I removed


2. How long have you been doing revision surgeries?
1. What sort of unique training have you had to qualify you to do revision surgeries?
3. How many revision surgeries do you do a year and how many have you done in all?
5. Why should I pick you as a revision surgeon over any other revision surgeon I may be considering?
4. How many of your revisions have required additional revisions due to problems?

6. After reading my previous surgeons report and your exam and xray review, what are the major things that are wrong with my knee.
b. Will you be requesting additional scans of the knee, xrays, CT, MRI as part of your diagnosis?

7. Concerning my patella and the clunking, catching and pain, what do you think is causing it?
a. Also, what would you recommend to fix this problem?
g. Will the patella continue to be an issue following any revision?

c. Is this problem also related to the looseness in my knee?
8. Concerning the looseness, what do you think has caused it?
j. Will the looseness return in the future following another procedure?
-. What can I do to guard against it happening again?

b. What is your plan for fixing the problem and what does it entail?
a. Is there a chance that the looseness can be fixed arthroscopically?

c. If we are just talking about a change in the spacer, how will you determine the size of the new spacer?
d. Will the new spacer cause me to loose ROM or cause less functionality?

h. Does this involve removing either the tibial or femoral component of my implant?
-. If so, why is this necessary?

f. Are there disadvantages to the procedure you are recommending?
f. What is the recovery period for this procedure and what limitations will result if any?
k. How long will this knee last me after this procedure?

e. What if I leave it as it is, will there be further issues, damage and loss of function in the knee?

9. Concerning my other knee, is there any advantage to having my other knee replaced as part of this procedure? Would you recommend for or against this possibility?

Note:
How long the recovery will be: as usual
How long will the revised knee last is anybody's guess!
If you leave it as it is, it will just get more and more painful
I very much doubt he will consider doing your other knee at the same time!

wberry said:
Now that would be great, I could see people like @Josephine smiling and staring down the OS.Poor guy would be shaking in his shoes.
Click to expand...
I've made a few do that! But generally I was more of a mother figure to them!
 
I think Jo did a good job of rearranging the questions. I know that many docs will try to escape if you pull out a long list of questions--so, have them on your phone or iPad. Remember too that a surgeon will talk to you a lot before surgery--but afterwards, they just want to talk about how wonderful their surgery was.
 
I think it depends on the revisionist. I can see Dr. Maale tapping his foot faster and faster the longer the list. On the other hand, if you have each question straight to the point like Jo rearranged, and hand it to hm; keep a copy for yourself, he/she will appreciate it!

I learned to have a concise list ready, because the busier the revisionist, the faster the appointment if you didn't have any questions. Then when you remembered, he was already off and running to the next patient.
 
You will be better off to work some of the questions in to your discussion as the appointment goes along rather than just try and go down the list. My experience has been that surgeons cringe when they see a long typed list. I even had one tell me "nicely" that he'd be happy to stop by my house later that evening to answer them all. Gulp! That sure shut me up! It was pre-BoneSmartie and I was scared to death!!

You may be able to eliminate some of the questions by "combining" them. When you ask about a surgeon's unique experience with revisions, it's really the same as asking why you should pick him over the others you talk with....it's all in how you word it. That's just one example of how you might shorten the list a little.

Make sure that each question is a show-stopper for your decision on a surgeon. Other "nice to know" things can be learned on subsequent visits. For example, no surgeon is going to tell you a time that a procedure will last. They don't know and I would be surprised if they would even venture a guess prior to surgery itself.
 
I think he's going to answer many of those questions during the course of your discussion. It's a long list, but as you ask one question, he'll probably answer several of the follow up questions in the process of answering the initial question.


Jean

LTKR (Stryker Triathlon): 21 April 2015
Right Knee Arthroscopy: 25 July 2006
Left Knee Arthroscopy: 10 February 2005
 
Hmm, great points all. I like how it was rearranged. I will put the list on my phone and skip any questions answered in general discussion. I will also try @jamies idea of integration into discussion. I will have a priority set and a secondary set. I still have time to refine and combine with only one appointment set so far.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
When I had my 2-week post-surgical check with Dr. Wingerter, I remember having a list of questions for him. We did the check-up and chatted, covering most of the questions in conversation that I had written down. At the end I said, I think you've already answered most of my questions but let me check for sure. I looked at the list on my phone and found one or two I needed further clarification on and he answered those too. For me, that worked out better than just going down the list sequentially.

Roxie
 
@wberry , I just spent some time outside visiting with a neighbor whose friend just had a knee replacement done in Wichita last Tuesday. They had been concerned about how it would go because the man has some other health problems and is overweight. Turns out he did great. Then she said that he had the most wonderful surgeon. I asked who he was and she said Dr. Pappademos (not sure I spelled that right). Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I heard another good report about him if that's who you decide to go with.

Roxie
 
O my! This is really good to hear.
Thank you so much for mentioning it.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Called today about my appointment set up for Dickson Diviley Group and Dr. Wingerter. Now the calls go to a scheduling call center when you want to make an appointment. Guess i won't get to talk to the person i sent my records to who was setting me up an appointment.
 
I hope so, all I wanted was an appointment, why all this screening before I even get one.
It's not like I am price shopping or something.

Well they called me back and let me know they can't accept them by email, well someone told me wrong last week it appears. Now they want me to Fax them and then the doctor will have to review and they will notify me if there is anything they can do. This is really weird. @Kansas Teacher did you go through this just to get your TKR?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I did not, @wberry . I got in pretty quickly -- I think within 10 days or so of when I called. But I don't know if it made a difference that he knew my daughter………

Pretty crazy but I can't imagine that he won't see you.

Roxie
 
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