Antibiotic spacer in tkr

Posted by schatz1 @schatz1, Mar 19 8:54pm

Hi, 67 year old female with antibiotic spacer after knee infection from tkr in oct2024.
The surgeon says it can last my life time.
Is this true? I believe its a Stryker.
I've had such incredible pain for a year and a half. I cant bear the thought of a 4th surgery.

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cjbilina | @cjbilina | Mar 28 4:41pm

I sympathize and am alarmed to learn of your continuing pain. I have a TKR knee with an infection. It is 11 years old, but was injured in a fall. The inner knee got a nasty hit to the soft tissue, and the entire knee is swollen. The hardware in the knee is perfect on imaging (MRI) but the swollen area shows markers (PSA) of infection. I consulted with an orthopedist who wants to take out the knee, put in an antibiotic spacer for 3 months, then a new knee. I'm going for a second opinion and very worried of what I am facing because the literature says the procedure has better results on newer knees and patients younger than 60. I will soon be 82.