Damage from Iovera Nerve block prior to TKR

Posted by kathi65 @kathi65, Nov 8, 2022

I had right TKR 18 weeks ago. Prior to surgery I had lower leg neuropathy and a neurologist could not determine why after testing (you're part of the 20% of the population that gets it for an unknown reason she said). My surgeon recommended the Iovera nerve block prior to surgery because it would help with pain after the surgery. He said that the nerve block would last for about 3 months. I had no problem when the injection was done, minimal bruising and my leg was numb. It's now been more than 3 months later and I still have numbness going all the way down the inside of my thigh to my knee and when I touched the skin it feels like someone's taking a razor blade and slicing my skin open. I'm also having problems when I bend my leg in certain ways or touch my leg in certain spots I start get sharp nerve pains down on my lower leg. I don't know if this is from the Iovera injection or not. And I have a feeling nobody's really going to tell me. Has this happened to anybody else? I already had a chronic pain condition before surgery and if I had known that I would feel the way I do now I don't think I would have had my knee replaced!

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So sorry to hear …. I personally did not get that block but I am 3 months out and my knee still is knumb on the right side …. So hopefully maybe just take some more time…..i do laser and cold therapy when I get those sharp nerve pains calms them down ….,good luck i hope you find something that will help take that edge off

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@ezas123

So sorry to hear …. I personally did not get that block but I am 3 months out and my knee still is knumb on the right side …. So hopefully maybe just take some more time…..i do laser and cold therapy when I get those sharp nerve pains calms them down ….,good luck i hope you find something that will help take that edge off

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Thank you! I was sent to a neurologist yesterday for the severe nerve pain. Because I'm on a lot of medications he can't give me anything because it would react badly. He said I can do nothing, I can use Capsaicin or get my medical Marijuana license. I had that license before but I also have copd. So I cannot inhale. I have a hard time regulating the edibles and I also have a hard time finding a tincture that has the right amount of CBD and THC to work but not knock me out. So I'm going for the appointment anyway to get it again and hopefully the commissary has come further along that they can try to figure out what it is that I need. In the meantime I bought the capsaicin and I'm going to try it they said it doesn't always work right away. Thank you for responding!

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@ezas123

So sorry to hear …. I personally did not get that block but I am 3 months out and my knee still is knumb on the right side …. So hopefully maybe just take some more time…..i do laser and cold therapy when I get those sharp nerve pains calms them down ….,good luck i hope you find something that will help take that edge off

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I've had both knees replaced this year. The only things I've noticed post-op is numbness of the skin on and around the kneecaps. Apparently this is common and may resolve over time. If it doesn't, at least in my case, it's not a big deal.

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@kathi65

Thank you! I was sent to a neurologist yesterday for the severe nerve pain. Because I'm on a lot of medications he can't give me anything because it would react badly. He said I can do nothing, I can use Capsaicin or get my medical Marijuana license. I had that license before but I also have copd. So I cannot inhale. I have a hard time regulating the edibles and I also have a hard time finding a tincture that has the right amount of CBD and THC to work but not knock me out. So I'm going for the appointment anyway to get it again and hopefully the commissary has come further along that they can try to figure out what it is that I need. In the meantime I bought the capsaicin and I'm going to try it they said it doesn't always work right away. Thank you for responding!

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Hey kathi,

Yeah with edibles it's hard to predict the outcome. I found the people at the dispensary are very helpful and knowledgeable about medical marijuana and its uses. If you haven't, give that a try.

Joe

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I have a very bad right knee with torn meniscus etc. and I need a knee replacement. I was trying to hold off on it for a few years so I went to my doctor and he recommended this procedure. I can’t begin to tell you what kind of pain I’ve been in since the day he did it. My pain now is worse than before. I don’t know what to do. and I called the doctor and I got no explanation about this from him other than take Tylenol. Meanwhile, my whole entire knee is not only numb but I feel like somebody put a knife in and never took it out.

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I had the IOVERA injection 2 weeks prior to TKR. Despite being touted as painless the pain, whether from an inept anesthesiologist I don’t know, but I about passed out twice and I have a very high pain tolerance. Moving forward 4.5 months my leg from mid calf to upper thigh alternates between an odd numbness to intense pain if it’s touched. The knee itself is an odd mixture of pain and numbness. I am so sorry I let my ortho convince me this would aid in a “more pain free recovery”. My surgeon doesn’t seem terribly concerned either.

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18 months after Iovera and TKR…. Numbness, vice like constriction all around knee, pins and needles up and down leg, pain with repetitive movement.
Are there statistics and are there recommendations for nerve repair ?

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@coffeecupp

I had the IOVERA injection 2 weeks prior to TKR. Despite being touted as painless the pain, whether from an inept anesthesiologist I don’t know, but I about passed out twice and I have a very high pain tolerance. Moving forward 4.5 months my leg from mid calf to upper thigh alternates between an odd numbness to intense pain if it’s touched. The knee itself is an odd mixture of pain and numbness. I am so sorry I let my ortho convince me this would aid in a “more pain free recovery”. My surgeon doesn’t seem terribly concerned either.

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If you find out anything further about Iovera’s negative consequences , please advise . I also am experiencing numbness, pain, pins and needle feelings

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@josephinecarrion

I have a very bad right knee with torn meniscus etc. and I need a knee replacement. I was trying to hold off on it for a few years so I went to my doctor and he recommended this procedure. I can’t begin to tell you what kind of pain I’ve been in since the day he did it. My pain now is worse than before. I don’t know what to do. and I called the doctor and I got no explanation about this from him other than take Tylenol. Meanwhile, my whole entire knee is not only numb but I feel like somebody put a knife in and never took it out.

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If you get further information on detrimental effects please advise

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I had Iovera treatment and have experienced similar problems . If you receive durther data please advise

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