1. < Joint Replacements

Scar tissue after knee replacement

Posted by leithlane @leithlane, Jan 31, 2017

I had knee replacement surgery 6 weeks ago . Through PT I have been working on breaking up the scar tissue only for it to regrow by the time I get back to PT two days later. I have been massaging at home, using a hand held massager and roller. It is painful and swollen. I am getting very disheartened. Any suggestions as to what else I can do. Has anyone had laser treatments to break up scar tissue? Were they effective?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Joint Replacements Support Group.

bevinauburn | @bevinauburn | Oct 19, 2018

This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue. This was not an option offered to me. Was this office visit with a new doctor? I am trying to get an appointment with two doctors that were highly recommended to me. I have been working on this for two weeks and am still waiting for a call back to book appointment. I believe I need to be more aggressive instead of waiting for a call back. They have my referral from my GP. Dry frustrating.

REPLY
4 replies
bevinauburn | @bevinauburn | Oct 19, 2018
In reply to @bevinauburn "This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue...." + (show)
@bevinauburn

This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue. This was not an option offered to me. Was this office visit with a new doctor? I am trying to get an appointment with two doctors that were highly recommended to me. I have been working on this for two weeks and am still waiting for a call back to book appointment. I believe I need to be more aggressive instead of waiting for a call back. They have my referral from my GP. Dry frustrating.

Jump to this post

Excuse the typo. Should be “very frustrating “.

REPLY
gator1965 | @gator1965 | Oct 20, 2018
In reply to @bevinauburn "This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue...." + (show)
@bevinauburn

This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue. This was not an option offered to me. Was this office visit with a new doctor? I am trying to get an appointment with two doctors that were highly recommended to me. I have been working on this for two weeks and am still waiting for a call back to book appointment. I believe I need to be more aggressive instead of waiting for a call back. They have my referral from my GP. Dry frustrating.

Jump to this post

My surgeon did not offer me an MRI, but said he wanted to complete an arthroscopy to see what was preventing the knee from bending , and remove any scar tissue. It was more extensive fibrosis than he had originally thought. I was up and around the next day, without crutches . I have kept with the same surgeon ever since my first surgery last November, so I trust him now. I have changed Physios so many times, and it is good when you have one who understands arthrofibrosis.

REPLY
2 replies
rayreich3 | @rayreich3 | Oct 20, 2018
In reply to @gator1965 "My surgeon did not offer me an MRI, but said he wanted to complete an arthroscopy..." + (show)
@gator1965

My surgeon did not offer me an MRI, but said he wanted to complete an arthroscopy to see what was preventing the knee from bending , and remove any scar tissue. It was more extensive fibrosis than he had originally thought. I was up and around the next day, without crutches . I have kept with the same surgeon ever since my first surgery last November, so I trust him now. I have changed Physios so many times, and it is good when you have one who understands arthrofibrosis.

Jump to this post

Hi who is your doctor I live in New York City

REPLY
1 reply
gator1965 | @gator1965 | Oct 20, 2018
In reply to @rayreich3 "Hi who is your doctor I live in New York City" + (show)
@rayreich3

Hi who is your doctor I live in New York City

Jump to this post

I live in the UK, my surgeon is Mr V Goswami. I paid privately to have the TKR, but the arthroscopic arthrolysis and debridment of the knee was done on the NHS. He is a brilliant surgeon

REPLY
1 reply
rayreich3 | @rayreich3 | Oct 20, 2018
In reply to @gator1965 "I live in the UK, my surgeon is Mr V Goswami. I paid privately to have..." + (show)
@gator1965

I live in the UK, my surgeon is Mr V Goswami. I paid privately to have the TKR, but the arthroscopic arthrolysis and debridment of the knee was done on the NHS. He is a brilliant surgeon

Jump to this post

Thank you all the best to you

REPLY
ellerbracke | @ellerbracke | Oct 21, 2018
In reply to @gailfaith "dduke….Sure wish they didn't stop using the passive motion machine to get the ROM back after..." + (show)
@gailfaith

dduke….Sure wish they didn't stop using the passive motion machine to get the ROM back after TKR. I had both knees done 2 years apart and with both they had me on that machine when I woke up from the anesthesia, I ended up with up to 137 degrees of bend with no manual stretching. and both knees now are 14 and 12 yrs old and even though I do ALOT OF WALKING they still show NO signs of wear !!!!! To be specific, just since Aug 2016, I have walked 161 miles!. I just suffered a fractured femur and the plate goes down along side of the prothesis.
They didn't use the machine this time (different Dr), and even though I myself worked to get the bend back. I now only have about
110 degrees of bend..... Functional, but not what I had! gailfaith

Jump to this post

Just wondering: is there a digit missing in your walking distance? I routinely walk 2.2 miles a day, roughly 350 days/year, so something like 700+ miles walking just for exercise. Not counting daily activites, hikes, trips, museums....... Hope to get back to that schedule asap.

REPLY
bevinauburn | @bevinauburn | Oct 21, 2018
In reply to @mylynn "I am considering arthroscopic surgery but today a new doc told me that I should get..." + (show)
@mylynn

I am considering arthroscopic surgery but today a new doc told me that I should get a special mri first. It is a metal suppression mri for tkr. And then he could see the amount of scar tissue and where it is, and perhaps see if the surgery would help.

Jump to this post

Will you please let me know the outcome of your MRI and possible surgery. If this MRI was helpful I would like to request this from a doctor if I finally get an appointment for a second opinion.

REPLY
mylynn | @mylynn | Oct 22, 2018
In reply to @bevinauburn "This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue...." + (show)
@bevinauburn

This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue. This was not an option offered to me. Was this office visit with a new doctor? I am trying to get an appointment with two doctors that were highly recommended to me. I have been working on this for two weeks and am still waiting for a call back to book appointment. I believe I need to be more aggressive instead of waiting for a call back. They have my referral from my GP. Dry frustrating.

Jump to this post

So yes this was a new doc , not the one who did my original surgery who is VERY well thought of
But I’m going a bit mad Re scar tissue and this new doc, who on paper has all the rite qualifications recommended this
So im going to pursue. My original doc thinks I’ll be ok , but it’s been 7 months and no change. Hope I helped

REPLY
mylynn | @mylynn | Oct 26, 2018
In reply to @gator1965 "My surgeon did not offer me an MRI, but said he wanted to complete an arthroscopy..." + (show)
@gator1965

My surgeon did not offer me an MRI, but said he wanted to complete an arthroscopy to see what was preventing the knee from bending , and remove any scar tissue. It was more extensive fibrosis than he had originally thought. I was up and around the next day, without crutches . I have kept with the same surgeon ever since my first surgery last November, so I trust him now. I have changed Physios so many times, and it is good when you have one who understands arthrofibrosis.

Jump to this post

So u have had arthroscopic surgery?
Are u ok and what does a good pt person do differently?
I had the mri , called MARS metal, artifact reduction system
Saw doc today and he said yes scar tissue there, he recommends arthroscopic surgery and manipulation while I’m under
Then 2 weeks of pt
He said there is no guarantee scar tissue won’t come back, some do ,others not
And there is a higher risk of infection when u have a replaced knee, ie foreign object. Which would be really bad.
I’m leaning towards having this done as my quality of life is worth the gamble

REPLY
1 reply
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.