Knee Replacement Failure - Need total reconstruction

Oh Babette @babette - I hate this. I wish I didn't have to press the heart button. How awful. At the same time, you must feel some sense of relief and validation that you have had confirmation on the agony you have been experiencing for a year. I know you are in the Northeast. Are you going to Mass General?

@babette I am sorry for what you have had to endure but very glad that you finally have a solution. If I recall, the surgeon with whom you consultedj was the one who did my knee and with whom I was/am very happy.

I had a friend who went through two years of pain and limping before finally getting help from a surgeon at that hospital. I suspect you will be seeing the same surgeon. She was very happy with what he did for her. Her initial surgery was up here in NH.
JK

Hi Debbra! Not Mass General, but New England Baptist which actually has a better reputation for orthopedics (is orthopedics only) than MGH does. Still, I'm not quite to the gratitude stage, just angry and hurt that I lost a year of my life to this and who knows how much more time to the coming surgery and recovery. I so appreciate your concern and caring. xo

I'm very happy to have the resources at hand, for sure, but as I told Debbra below, I'm not quite grateful yet. Speaking of NH, dh and I have just put in an offer on an lovely old house in a tiny town there! PM if you like 🙂 Don't know how we will finesse a move during all of this, but we'll work it out. So tired of the rat race in MA. I'd love to know who your friend went to for rehab/PT.

I just read your story very heartbreaking . I had a total knee replacement one year ago at New England Baptist Hospital .
I am still 20° away from the goal they have set for me which is 105° flexion . I have had a second opinion,x-rays, and they cannot find an anatomical reason why I cannot flex my right leg . They blame it all on scar tissue . I have had 60 sessions of physical therapy been riding my recumbent bike at my house every day, and do my exercises . I am in pain when I walk from my car to the entrance of the store . Also when climbing stairs I cannot do it step over step . I was never given a CPM machine upon discharge from the hospital which I think would’ve made a grave difference . In addition to the 60 sessions of PT I had a Dynasplint, and two manipulations . We happen to live in Massachusetts but we are 70 miles south heading towards Cape Cod . If anybody has any similar experiences but they please share it with me and what treatments have been done thank you very much !!

I'm so sorry to hear this! How frustrating for you. I'm going to PM you.

@babette So sorry to hear about what you have been going through. I've followed your posts because your problems sound a lot like what I am going through at 7 months post-op bilateral. I am young, healthy and was active before my surgery. I have felt things were wrong at 4 months but at 5 months my OS said everything looks good on xrays see you in a year. I am in constant pain, can't walk normal, simple daily tasks are exhausting. Had a 2nd opinion and he said femur implant could be too big, knee caps are sitting "kittywaumpus" and he wants to do injections to my ligaments now for the pain. I'm very curious about what your new Dr said about your femur, knee caps and ligaments and how it contributes pain and doing a revision. The new OS I have said to wait 18 months before considering revision. I don't think I can possibly live like this for a year and be so debilitated. Yes, it's good to have answers, but the agony and pain presently and in the future is hard to handle. Keep me posted after your visit with revision specialist and good luck!

@mwatts91757 I’m so sorry for what you are going through. Since you traveled a distance to have the surgery I’m sure you must have done a lot of research trying to find the best possible surgeon th do it.

I had a CPM machine after my first TKR and turned it in early since I did not feel it was helpful. There are many doctors who do not feel they are. My second TKR was done by a doctor who did not suggest one, he made no comment on them either way. So, the CPM machine probably would not have made much difference for you.

I was in such extreme pain prior to my first TKR that I did little research into surgeons. If I knew then what I know now - how many of these surgeries leave patients unhappy — I would have researched more and waited longer to get a better surgeon. As it is, the first is not bad, but the second one by a different surgeon at Brigham and Womens has definitely been better, I’m very happy with it. I hope a cause and a solution is found soon.

@doodles418 I can understand not wanting to wait to have this fixed. It’s awful when pain plagues you daily, especially when you think there may be a solution but you can’t have that yet. I hope you are able to get something done sooner.

I hope we hear back from both of you as you progress.
JK

Well I know one person that had a hip done by this particular surgeon . My girlfriend has since gone to him for her knee and she has achieved 100° of flexion which isn’t bad . She went to him last February not knowing that I was having such problems .
What I’m looking for now is a doctor to do revisions that is proficient at it I don’t know if you can help me here
Thanks for everything

He waited until I was four months postop to give me the CPM machine and I only had it for two weeks . I got up to about 105° of flexion with that machine . My mom had one postop at MGH years ago and I remember using them in the early 80s and most likely the early 90s as a nurse . I don’t care what the doctors say I think they are helpful for people that don’t do passive exercises as much as they should. We’re all guilty of the fact that when we’re under supervision of a therapist that we perform more exercises when we are pushed. With a machine you set it for the allotted time and settings and you just endure it. Feel like everything else they get rid of a good product and then 10 years from now they’ll be bringing it back Mark my words !