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Interesting discussion with new knee doctor yesterday!
I have had problems with my first knee replacement (right knee) which was done two and a half years ago. I will say it is finally feeling better.
New knee doctor gave me some help with answers to my many questions without my asking them. He did new X-rays on both knees as the left is bone on bone. He told me that part of my long surgery was the fact that more bone was removed due to osteoporosis and more metal used on both top and bottom of knee replacement. E watched me walk and feels that my gait is not just my bad knee but something more going on. It may be just my peripheral neuropathy but feels there might have been a minor stroke because being hospitalized for three day after surgery is not normal. He is sending me to a neurologist to have some things checked out before we continue talks about additional surgery. In the meantime, we will continue with gel injections and I will get my first next week after insurance is cleared. I probably should share this in the peripheral neuropathy group as well. Although the trip is an hour each way and it was rush hour coming back, my new doctor is definitely worth the trip.
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Yes TKR can be tough on some people. For those considering TKR, take time ahead of surgery to work with a trainer and get in shape. Not just legs but core and upper body. You'll need strong triceps after surgery, trust me.
And start the PT immediately after surgery. Nothing is more important. Lost time cannot be made up. First the PT will work on ROM and later on strengthening the quad and hamstring.
Best wishes to any and all contemplating TKR. For me, it's been life changing!
Joe
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6 ReactionsHi Vince. I didn't have neuropathy following my TKRs. Perhaps someone else here can offer advice?
Joe
Totally agree!!! Thank you for your reply!!
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2 ReactionsI woke up from TKR with a total numb leg from the knee down. Like it was a sleep. was told it can happen, it's normal by several knee surgeons. They put a leg stabilizer on so I could stand up. Well it wasn't normal! my TKR surgeon pinched off the popliteal artery behind my knee which supplies all the blood supply to your toes before it circulates back up.
It took my primary to say not normal and ordered an ABI test (blood pressure ultra sound of your legs) which showed very little pressure in that leg. Then had angiogram that showed the artery was blocked behind my knee. Had surgery to open up the artery and a large dead dried blood clot was removed. My foot went from numb, purple and cold all the time to pink and warm again. Since it was 2 months of no blood flow to my foot I did end up with some cell and tissue damage and still have some numbness in spots on the bottom of my foot and is a little sedative to almost everything. I have to wear socks and shoes all the time. But at least I have my leg. When I went back to my TKR surgeon he told me "Why did you wait so long to get it fixed...you could have lost your leg". I also found out since then he put in the wrong size plastic spacer and that is why my leg goes out on me sometimes. Plus my knee cap fractured from lack of blood flow as well, so I have a chip floating around in there.
Good Luck with your knee issues. I am now 3 1/2 years out and he was supposed to be the best in the business!
Lori Aakre
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3 Reactionsread my post about what I went through with numbness right after TKR surgery.
Lori Aakre
@lawman and @heyjoe415, looks like things have gotten a little off the rails here. A gentle reminder of the Community Guidelines https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/tab/community-guidelines/
Most notably, the discussions here are respectful and inclusive. See Guideline number 2:
2. Remain respectful at all times.
- Exercise tolerance and respect toward other participants whose views may differ from your own.
- Disagreements are fine, but mutual respect is a must.
- Personal attacks against members or health care providers are not acceptable. Such posts will be removed.
Thus some of the posts have been removed.
Everyone's experience is different. Many people benefit from total knee replacement surgery and regain use of their mobility. Others have complications ranging from minor to major issues. It is important to keep in mind that forums like this one are particularly useful for people looking for solutions with issues that may come up pre or post surgery and seeking peer support for recovery. Thus it may appear that more people suffer ill effects of TKR surgery than those who benefit. This is not true.
"Knee replacement surgery has become a routine procedure in many hospitals. Surgeons carry out approximately 600,000 total knee replacements annually in the United States.
Positive outcomes
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), 90 percent of people who have a knee replacement experience a significant reduction in pain.
For many, it helps them to stay active and may enable them to return to activities they previously enjoyed, such as walking and golf.
The AAOS notes that over 90 percent of replacement knees are still functioning after 15 years. According to research published in 2019, 82 percentTrusted Source of total knee replacements are still functioning after 25 years."
Read more here:
Clinical Outcomes and Statistics of Knee Replacement https://www.healthline.com/health/total-knee-replacement-surgery/outcomes-statistics-success-rate
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6 ReactionsMine was also supposed to be the “best!” They called him the knee doctor and. His license plate was KNEE. May have been best for someone but not me (nor yours for you).
very interesting. I have osteoporosis and have met with 4 surgeons. Not one has addressed how it influences TKR outcomes. I have asked and they say we can work with that.
Your comment “He told me that part of my long surgery was the fact that more bone was removed due to osteoporosis and more metal used on both top and bottom of knee replacement”. They like to get you into surgery, but don’t really know how bad the osteoporosis is till you are under the knife.
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3 ReactionsI think what you say is true about osteoporosis. What I was told was that if you do have osteoporosis, the implant will be cemented in place. The reason is that the bone is unlikely to bond with the metal. All the best to you. Joe
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2 ReactionsWas your TKR done robotically? At Mayo Clinic?