What Brand of knee did you get?

[skyhawk]

Just trying to find out what most of you folks have received, how you like them, and any other information you might have wished you knew about what's available BEFORE you had your TKR.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[RickB]

Bob,

Its not the brand of knee but the brand of the OS. I have a very skilled OS who does mainly knees and hips. She has done six TKRs in one day. My OS used the Zimmer NexGen CR because she believes in them and keeps the PCL
during implantation.

Rick

 

[Josephine]

Trust me - once you've got the knee in, it's not going to matter one hoot which prosthesis it is. As Rick says, the crucial points are

- is the surgeon extremely practiced in their use
- is it implanted correctly
- that you have no post-op issues like infection or thrombosis
- that your pain is adequately controlled so you can get to it with your PT
- that the PT you have is good and you have a good rapport with him/her

If all these are squared away, in the final analysis, one knee joint is much the same as another. How are you ever going to know that this one or that one would have been better or worse than the one you got?

 

[ship4]

Jo is absolutely correct! The surgeon is the most important part of the puzzle. Does he do a lot of replacements yearly? Do you have confidence he/she will do a good job. If so, and you need it and want to move forward go for it! My doctor uses the Johnson & Johnson DePuy Rotating Platform complete knee system. I had 2 put in on June 18, 2008. I am currently 3 months post op. Have eliminated my pain pill in the AM. I am currently still taking Visteral in the AM and PM along with Celebrex. My pain pill was Dilaudid (2 mg). I now take it only in the PM along with the Visteral (muscle relaxant & mild pain reliever) and Celebrex (anti-inflammatory).
Best,
Crystal

 

[AlaskanTKR]

My knee is a zimmer gender specific. I think it is working well - if it would just bend (not the implant's fault - just too much swelling and stubborn owner!)
I was able to research online prior to surgery and think this will eventually work out great! I was extremely comfortable with the surgeon, he is extremely experienced and easy to talk with! Excellent and positive outlok even when things are tough he tries to help me stay positive and really works with his patients!

Mariane

 

[Gretchendz]

Zimmer. I forget the specifics.

What the others said: far more important is the fit and the surgeon's skill.

When the discussion got a little crazy about which "brand" is best in my pre-op class the nurse finally said "You are paying your surgeon a lot of money for his skill and judgment. Trust it."

 

[schoust]

Smith and Nephew Journey Bicruciate, wish I had more flex so that I could tell you how it worked. To much swelling......

 

[skyhawk]

Thanks for the comments. Being new to all of this, I thought it might make a difference which prosthesis was used. I understand the surgeon's experience and skill is the most important consideration though. Still, there seem to be differences if one is to believe the manufacturer's information - just wanted to make a more educated decision with my surgeon, and not have him use a devise that would be bought just because he favors one salesman over the others.

Bob

 

[ship4]

Thanks for the comments. Being new to all of this, I thought it might make a difference which prosthesis was used. I understand the surgeon's experience and skill is the most important consideration though. Still, there seem to be differences if one is to believe the manufacturer's information - just wanted to make a more educated decision with my surgeon, and not have him use a devise that would be bought just because he favors one salesman over the others.

Bob

Bob,
It is not so much the salesman, as the training the OS has had with a particular joint system. My OS puts in lots and lots of the one particular type of knee joint. I had complete faith I would be fitted correctly. Be sure the surgeon you choose does many replacements annually.
Best,
Crystal

 

[Josephine]

Trust me - surgeons are NOT influenced by salesmen! Quite the reverse. Their influence comes from, as Crystal said, the bosses they've worked with and their reasons for choosing a particular prosthesis which leave a profound imprint on them for the rest of their working life. But - and I cannot emphasise this strongly anough - the differences between one product and another is often more a minor features and tweaks that make it easier for him to implant it than any difference that you might notice.

For instance - the stems of the femoral prostheses are tapered. The reason for this is to prevent the bone cement (where used) from extruding alongside the stem as it is pushed into the femoral canal. Halfway in, it actually blocks the opening and exerts a sideways pressure which forces the cement into the honey-comb that is the inside of the bone. Now some hips have a more tapered stem than others for many reasons, one of which is that the fit of the prosthesis in the femoral canal is tighter than with a less tapered one.

Another feature is the ridges on the cup. Like tyre treads, they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer for a whole variety of reasons. And, just as you have a preference for one particular make of tyres for your car, so the surgeon develops a preference for one product over another.

Overall the differences in movement or function of the joints are minimal from the patient's point of view. Just as you get a standard 2.0 litre engine in any car and the engine performance is going to be pretty much the same regardless.