Knee Replacement Failure - Need total reconstruction

Posted by babette @babette, Jul 27, 2019

I'm pretty devastated, everyone. I had my R TKR a year ago and always knew something wasn't right. My initial surgeon said everything looked great and to give it time, PT, etc. Well I went to one of the top ortho hospitals in the country yesterday and saw a surgeon who comes very highly recommended. He told me my femur is out of alignment, there is a problem with a ligament, and my knee cap is off to one side. I wish I had written down more specifics, dh was with me but once we heard this would all have to be redone, I think we went into kind of shock and didn't process the details very well. **He understood completely why I've been in so much pain this past year. ** He referred me to a colleague who does more complex revisions than he does and I feel great about that but have to wait a month to see him and begin the process. All over again. I have no idea what this will be like, the actual surgery, recovery, etc.

I'd love to hear from others who have gone through this. Also, has anyone successfully sued the surgeon who screwed up? I'm furious to have lost a year of my life to this and now even more time to the repair and recovery.

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@ezas123

Hi I am in same place …. I am year out august 12 six weeks after tkr had manipulation…..had pain this whole year constant therapy but not getting anywhere …. I sought second opinion after my original dr would not do anything …,i found from new dr with my original dr X-rays that my new knee is slightly to big…..I know how you feel I was angry and frustrated how dr could see me in pain and not able to retain any progress …. In retrospect he knows exactly why I could not get anywhere…. But I know you can’t have revision for 1 year that’s why I had to wait…. I am scheduled for revision July 28 I am so anxious more so than first surgery…..new dr is very confident he can help me but did say revision are more difficult…..but if I can get like 90-95 flexion than I will happy …. So good luck keep me posted how you are doing …..

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I went to the same issue ( knee too large by 5mm ) First surgery was September 2019. Underwent MUA with No improvement. Had Revision Surgery January 2020. So You can have revision surgery before the 1 year they stated. Still have more pain than before origional surgery! Attached is X-ray of first knee replacement, you be the judge.

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Sorry to hear you still having pain ….Slightly means so much …. So how are you now…. Do you have flexion… right now I have more pain than before surgery with flexion of about 70-75 …. I stumble over the slightest incline which causes much more pain…..not sure if new dr feels same way about the year thing that is when He was able to fit me in surgery schedule….I went to see new dr may 3 , after he checked for infection and cat scan that is when he could get me in….,like I said I am anxious can use any advice …. Thank you

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Sorry to hear you are having issues. I tried to sue my tkr surgeon for pinching off the popliteal artery behind my knee that supplies all the blood flow from my knee to my toes. Went to all my after surgery appts. and all he said about my cold tingly foot, no feeling in my leg and purple toes was to give it time maybe a year or 2. I went to a lawyer and they took my medical records and sent to an expert out of the area because the surgeon I had was well known in the area. Anyway the expert read through all me records, which I had to pay $250 to have done, and he found nothing in my records from my surgeon that I ever complained of issue with my leg/foot.

I know he was great for never signing off on any of my appts. I had with him because I would go on MyChart and found nothing signed off on (I even went to the patient advocate and complained, she was going to check into it). But I found that until after I went back to him 2 months after my tkr and told him what he had done! Then he opened the medical notes, highlighted everything and hit delete. poof all gone. and all he said back to me was why I waited so long to get it fixed, I could have lost my leg. It took my primary to get me in for an ABI (that measures the blood pressure in your legs) and then an angiogram that showed you could not go any further than behind the knee. When I had the artery surgery, which left about a 10-12 inch scar behind my knee, that surgeon took out about a 1 inch dead dried blood clot. needless to say I ended up with permanent cell and tissue damage, but good blood flow to my toes. There is still some numbness in my toes and outer side and heal, but at least I still have my leg.
So all the lawyer told me was no use even though there was total neglect on the tkr surgeon. for one if you do win the case they will take out what ever amount your surgery etc. cost first, then the lawyer fees and expenses, and you don't really get much as far as dollars go, but you would have satisfaction. You also have to do something within 2 years.
It was 3 years in Feb. that I had my tkr and just heard that my surgeon has been band from doing any surgeries in one of our 2 hospitals in the area. karma is a . . . . .
Lori

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@loriaakre

Sorry to hear you are having issues. I tried to sue my tkr surgeon for pinching off the popliteal artery behind my knee that supplies all the blood flow from my knee to my toes. Went to all my after surgery appts. and all he said about my cold tingly foot, no feeling in my leg and purple toes was to give it time maybe a year or 2. I went to a lawyer and they took my medical records and sent to an expert out of the area because the surgeon I had was well known in the area. Anyway the expert read through all me records, which I had to pay $250 to have done, and he found nothing in my records from my surgeon that I ever complained of issue with my leg/foot.

I know he was great for never signing off on any of my appts. I had with him because I would go on MyChart and found nothing signed off on (I even went to the patient advocate and complained, she was going to check into it). But I found that until after I went back to him 2 months after my tkr and told him what he had done! Then he opened the medical notes, highlighted everything and hit delete. poof all gone. and all he said back to me was why I waited so long to get it fixed, I could have lost my leg. It took my primary to get me in for an ABI (that measures the blood pressure in your legs) and then an angiogram that showed you could not go any further than behind the knee. When I had the artery surgery, which left about a 10-12 inch scar behind my knee, that surgeon took out about a 1 inch dead dried blood clot. needless to say I ended up with permanent cell and tissue damage, but good blood flow to my toes. There is still some numbness in my toes and outer side and heal, but at least I still have my leg.
So all the lawyer told me was no use even though there was total neglect on the tkr surgeon. for one if you do win the case they will take out what ever amount your surgery etc. cost first, then the lawyer fees and expenses, and you don't really get much as far as dollars go, but you would have satisfaction. You also have to do something within 2 years.
It was 3 years in Feb. that I had my tkr and just heard that my surgeon has been band from doing any surgeries in one of our 2 hospitals in the area. karma is a . . . . .
Lori

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So sorry to hear all suffering you have gone through due to dr neglect….I am happy for you were able to get corrected and are doing better now….hopefully you have been able to put this nightmare behind you …. Thank you for sharing your experience

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@ezas123

Hi I am in same place …. I am year out august 12 six weeks after tkr had manipulation…..had pain this whole year constant therapy but not getting anywhere …. I sought second opinion after my original dr would not do anything …,i found from new dr with my original dr X-rays that my new knee is slightly to big…..I know how you feel I was angry and frustrated how dr could see me in pain and not able to retain any progress …. In retrospect he knows exactly why I could not get anywhere…. But I know you can’t have revision for 1 year that’s why I had to wait…. I am scheduled for revision July 28 I am so anxious more so than first surgery…..new dr is very confident he can help me but did say revision are more difficult…..but if I can get like 90-95 flexion than I will happy …. So good luck keep me posted how you are doing …..

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I am in the same situation awaiting a revision. Meanwhile, in debilitating pain.

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@gardengal33

I am in the same situation awaiting a revision. Meanwhile, in debilitating pain.

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So sorry to hear …. Do you have same dr…..when did you have tkr….. I go to myofascial release I believe it’s only thing that kept me going for last 7 months….I will continue right after surgery first for edema than scar tissue…. When is your surgery ….

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@ezas123

So sorry to hear …. Do you have same dr…..when did you have tkr….. I go to myofascial release I believe it’s only thing that kept me going for last 7 months….I will continue right after surgery first for edema than scar tissue…. When is your surgery ….

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Had TKR in Feb but ball and socket not working properly. I can walk OK but bending knee and rising from a seated position is agonizing. Doc took X-rays and found nothing. Not interested. Looking for another surgeon. Thanks for your response.

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@gardengal33

Had TKR in Feb but ball and socket not working properly. I can walk OK but bending knee and rising from a seated position is agonizing. Doc took X-rays and found nothing. Not interested. Looking for another surgeon. Thanks for your response.

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Good luck you will find someone that w

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@babette

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

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So sorry to hear about what you are going through.

I was sold a partial knee replacement with the doc telling me it would be a smaller scar, I would heal faster, etc. What he didn't tell me was that a PKR has a high rate of failure. I fact, the first time I was gotten up by the nurses after the surgery, the knee went out of place -- like a crooked road, down thigh with my knee jutting out to the side and then down!
Seems the stitches the doc did failed almost immediately.
The guy said he wanted to do a "readjustment" about 4 months later on this knee. This was during the Covid shutdown it was difficult getting anything. When I hesitated he said that it would be best to do a TKR 4 months after the first botched operation. Meanwhile I was in pain, could not extend my leg and all the things that go with knee surgery.
I did have the second one and had a very hard time with recovery. The surgeon was not interested in my healing and walking properly, he just wanted to get me signed up to do the other knee. Ex. he once had me walk down the hallway and comment that I would be getting my full range of motion back. When I told that to my hubby (who was in the examining room) the doc backed off on that. At each appointment he would come in the room asking when he could schedule the next knee!
I did get therapy, but eventhough I had improved I still needed help - he refused it saying he was going to save any more therapy until after he did my other knee!!!
This was only 6 months after the second operation (which he charged us full price for).
That ws it for me, we found a top notch surgeon with the help of my family doc. After reading all the reports from the hospital and the x rays, this doc told us, flat out, that the first one should not have done a PKR because of the very high rate of failure on them that resulted in a second operation.
He also said that no one should try to push me into the next TKR. He got me into therapy and I am doing a lot better now that I am about 14 months out from the second surgery. He did say that there were some things the surgeon didn't do, like putting a pin in where he did the bone graff (yep, ended up with one of those because of the failure of the first surgery".
New surgeon said it is going to take me longer due to having 2 operations on the same leg. I still have pain in the knee area, tingling, swelling, but he is doing what he can to get me relief.

And, like you, I am also wondering about suing. I believe I have the right to have the inner stitching last more than day after the surgery.

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Oh that is a nightmare. I am so sorry. I had a tkr in Feb 22. Then in June got when knee wouldn't bend as well. Rom was 105. Dr did a mua and I have had pain ever since, rom went to 83. Crazy. How long does it take to get ove mua? My leg is not straight at all. So now he's ordered a flexanator, thearpy suggested an extensionator. Can't do much of anything without pain but I do my doggone thearpy like I been doing almost 6 months now. Any advice welcomed.

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