Chronic knee pain after knee replacement with excessive scar tissue formation

Posted by SMargelz @smargelz, Nov 17, 2012

Has anyone else had a similar experience. I am 3 years post op. I have had a MUA 3 months after first surgery. I had arthroscopic surgery 6 months later with some improvement, but 1 year later, pain and heaviness returned, has not gotten better. I have lost initial gains especially in bending my knee. it is a constant problem no orthopedic doctor seems to know what to do about it. I have had numerous PT visits, pool therapy and exercises,myofacial therapy, chiropractic therapy, ASTYM therapy,I am now wearing a steel brace for extra stability, but doctors can find nothing wrong with the original knee surgery?

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

Well, another year after the scar tissue removal, I had to have a revision ...... so I got to start all over again! Great fun! But now my knee is great.
abby

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@tallteri

Thank you for responding......now another question...What is knee revision ? My P.T. feels that I need a replacement of my TKR which took place almost 1 yr.ago.

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I had to have a revision due to a fall on concrete outside my building. Something loosened when I fell so he had to do it all over again. Obviously I was more careful that time.
abby

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@tallteri

Have any of You gone to Mayo-Clinic Minnesota for treatment of chronic knee pain after Total Knee Replacement ? Could someone explain ASTYM therapy to me ? I did read about it on Knee Nerds facebook site. But I am still confused. Thank You

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@jmacvol, great news about your appointment at Mayo Clinic Rochester. Please keep us informed on your experience and what you are able to learn about surgical options and their opinion on your previous surgeon's suggestion. Good luck, and we look forward to hearing your updates!

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@touchdown

Surgery Oct 2012, 1st manipulation Jan 2013, 2nd manipulation (by different surgeon) March 2013. 2nd surgeon said I had inherited a gene from my mother causing excessive scar tissue. Was told to continue PT. PT said that I healed so fast they couldn't treat me. Recently had follow up with surgeon. His reply to my question Is there any thing else that can be done? was he could cut my knee open & "loosen" my knee. If I have the left knee replaced, since they know about the scar tissue issue, they will put that knee in looser. I began therapy in Oct. & am still going. Surgeon's first suggestion was that I have a series of pain shots because I might have Reflexive Sympathetic Dystrophy. I am on my 6th shot. The theory is that the pain causes the nerves to engulf other nerves. If the pain is controlled I will be able to withstand more aggressive therapy. The extraneous pain seems to be controlled ( pain in other knee, pain up thigh into groin, lower back pain on that side) but not the pain in my knee. No pain pill ever helped. I am receiving acupuncture but see no difference. In therapy my knee tends to range 45-75 degrees and it varies daily. I will not have another surgery because I can't comprehend how that won't cause more scar tissue or how he will know just how much to "loosen" my knee. Mentally I can not take much more. I hope this helps you, perhaps at least by knowing there is another is a similar situation.

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@bettyjo, I understand your frustrations first hand. I had my knee replaced at age 19 due to extreme arthritic damage that started when I was eight. I had aggressive scar tissue formation and had to have two manipulations to break it loose.

While I am not personally familiar with RSD (now known as Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS), a few discussions have taken place on Connect specifically about RSD/CRPS. I encourage you to check out what other members are discussing specifically to CRPS:

-RSD/CRPS http://mayocl.in/2dk3ucb
-After knee replacement I developed RSD http://mayocl.in/2cX10nN

Additionally, here is what Mayo Clinic has to say about CRPS http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/complex-regional-pain-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20022844.

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@amberpep

Well, another year after the scar tissue removal, I had to have a revision ...... so I got to start all over again! Great fun! But now my knee is great.
abby

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I hope you know how lucky you are after reading some of these posts

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@amberpep

Well, another year after the scar tissue removal, I had to have a revision ...... so I got to start all over again! Great fun! But now my knee is great.
abby

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Great News!!! Who did your revision ?

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Which revision? My last one was done by Dr. Finn at Weiss Memorial in Chicago.

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