Scar tissue after knee replacement

I’ve have knee issues for going on 4.5 yrs. Had TKR in right knee 1/16. It became infected and had revision. Had that knee scoped due to excessive scar tissue. New scar tissue developed. In November 2017 had right knee replaced. That knee had to be revised as tibial trey came loose. Throughout this time there were brief periods of time in which the pain was manageable. In July 2019 I learned that both knees were infected with a bacteria that likely entered my system during dental surgery in 2016. The gestation period for this bacteria is 4-6 yrs. I was prescribed Cephalexin 3000 mg per days orally for 5 months by my Infectious Disease Doctor. This did not impact infection and I had a picc line in my right arm and was administered an IV antibiotic that I had to discontinue after 2 weeks due to the effect it was having on my liver. Three weeks ago I started a new IV antibiotic that administers at a low dose 24 hours a day. I am supposed to have picc line removed this Thursday. Knee pain has diminished in the last 2 weeks. My Orthopedic is going to draw a synovial sample on 3/24/20 to see if the infection is cleared. I am still experiencing some discomfort by what I believe is lingering scar tissue. Saw an article today concerning the use of cold laser treatment for scar tissue. Curious if anyone has has any success with this technique in the reduction of pain associated with scar tissue? Will update later.

If you had a tourniquet during surgery. It could be trauma to the sciatic nerve.

I'm experiencing the same problem. Constant pain after tkr. Its been 3 years after arthroscopic surgery to scrape the scar tissue. I was blissfully out of pain for 2 weeks only for it to come back with a vengeance. Now I take gabapentin & percoset with only a little relief. My rom is excellent. Just have pain when I do any activity. Did anyone have results with anything else?

Thanks JK-along with everything we are all going through, I haven't had the heart to comment, but now can reply. The ablation did not work, in fact it introduced more pain . I have been barely managing and then one month ago, the surgeon suggested one more shot, which was hellish and left my knee bruised and angry. The last shot was that he suggested a synovial ganglion implant and I ran. When will this suffering end... i've lost so much. Last resort, new surgeon suggests metal allergy test-which will be $400+ out of pocket as insurance doesn't cover it. The idea being that if it was so then a new total new knee replacement w/o said allerg yinducing components would -perhaps be a remedy. Any one else ?

Catalytic Hydrolasis or desolving is more common.Google different metals and metal on metal, metal on plastic, etc.

@damewocane I'm sorry that the ablation did not work, that must have been discouraging, particularly since you were in greater pain afterward.
When you say a "synovial ganglion implant" that sounds like more than a shot, is it? I had synovial shots prior to my TKRs and they did help. There are a couple of brands but I found that Synvisc seemed to work best for me, although that could just have been a coincidence, perhaps the doctor or PA administering the shot of the other brand didn't do as good a job.

Certainly, I would not do another TKR without having the allergy testing, it could be fruitless if that's the problem. Is your flex still very low too?
JK

Keep up with the massage, I used baby oil and vibrating massager everynight watching TV the first 10 weeks, I barely have any bumps ( scar tissue) also I used Vitamin E cream, you can barely see my scar.

I’ve posted on this forum off and on over the past two years or so. I wanted to give an update on what looks like a definitive answer as to the multitude of issues with the replacement that I have been facing.

Short synopsis is that at 53 I had a torn meniscus at the root from a running injury. That was almost immediately turned into I had arthritis bad enough that I needed a partial knee replacement.

The physicians office forgot to order the replacement parts the day of the surgery and on the day of the rescheduled surgery, I fell in the parking lot. I woke up from what should have been a partial knee replacement with a total knee replacement, a very swollen knee and swollen ankle.

Two months after the surgery, I still could not stand or walk without pain and my ROM was less than 110. I was diagnosed with arthofibrosis and had another surgery to remove scar tissue. Significant pain and PT later I was able to get my knee bending more, but still could not stand or walk.

Multiple other doctors and 18 months later, I was diagnosed with a broken foot and shredded tendon from the parking lot fall from the original surgery. A bone fragment in my foot from the fall shredded the tendon. However, I still can not stand or walk without significant pain. At 56 now, I went from running and cross-fit to being able to walk less than 5,000 steps a day.

More doctors, tests and appointments later, the doctors are thinking I have a stress reaction or stress fracture in my tibia. I then found a doctor who deals with periprothetic fractures. He took a bunch of X-rays with my knee in positions I never had before. He then told me what you never want to hear after this surgery...

My implant is crooked. It’s not loose. It’s cemented in good - but at the wrong angle. It was installed crooked to the tune of slightly more than 5 degrees. The forces on my tibia and ankle are too much. My pain will never go away until it comes out and by the way, your good side hip is now a mess because your standing on one leg.

I told the doctor I’m only 56 and what happens at 66 when the revision wears out. He told me to go home and think if I wanted the revision. I sent him a follow up question in the portal asking the same thing a week ago and haven’t heard back. But I think I know the answer - it can’t be done.

So for those of you who have been following this story along and are still struggling with the pain - you now know one way this story ends.

Some ortohpedist do these total knees all day long. The yhave plenty of back up parts. I would seek another physicain,I am a retired PT with two wonderful. knees 20 years ago.. I am 90.yrs old. Go to the facility and surgeon who does only knees all day long. Sounds like you have a once in a while Surgeon.

I live in Texas - in between Dallas and Houston and have now been to 11 doctors. I have Orthopaedic centers in both cities doing diagnosis and confirmation. Both major centers only joint replacement. But the initial surgery was done by a major university surgeon, just not one in the major city