My surgeon used a Tourniquet during my TNR, Man it huts worse the knee

Posted by bigklssick @bigklssick, Aug 3 5:10am

My surgeon used a Tourniquet during surgery and 17 days Post opp knee feels great my thigh is still hurting and bruised, should I spot ice this area or use heat? I’ve been rubbing it to try and get the blood to flow and heal it? Anyone have this? Thanks

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Profile picture for dbduffer @dbduffer

In addition to the tourniquet your surgeon probably did not tell you he was using a small sawzall to cut the bone or a hammer to pound the implant into place.

Some things are probably best not discussed or conceptualized prior to TKR.

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@dbduffer
I would agree IF the use of a tourniquet were just the choice of a tool and the research was either non existent or in favor of the use. Recent research has thrown that conclusion into doubt and some even suggested that it could be counter productive:
https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD012874_what-are-benefits-and-risks-using-tourniquet-knee-replacement-surgery
Anecdotally, for what it is worth, my surgeon did not use a tourniquet but used tranexamic acid instead. I had zero post surgical pain.

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Profile picture for george12345 @george12345

My TKR parts were recalled after 8 years. Spacer breaking down and I have some bone detereration.. Dr. reccomend Revision . Any alternatives available rather then Revision?

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@george12345
I don't think so.

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Profile picture for bigklssick @bigklssick

@dbduffer he told me about the tourniquet and also about the recovery, my inquiry was about if anyone had any good remedies.. All good..

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@bigklssick I got a 5” foam paint roller after the PT showed me roller massage on the quads. Mine had a big lump where the tourniquet was, and the roller massage really helped ease that out. Med report said only 50ml blood loss, and other gruesome things 🙂

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Profile picture for steveinarizona @steveinarizona

@george12345
I don't think so.

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@steveinarizona
Im looking for a good surgeon to do just the spacer and clean up the debris from the spacer shedding..

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Profile picture for george12345 @george12345

@steveinarizona
Im looking for a good surgeon to do just the spacer and clean up the debris from the spacer shedding..

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@george12345 I am confused. Your earlier post said that your implant was recalled and now you speak of only doing/needing a spacer (plus cleanup).

Was your implant recalled or just your spacer?

Even more importantly, don't go to a surgeon and say you want the spacer replaced and a cleanup. You want to go there and tell the revision surgeon of your problems and let him tell you what you need done. It doesn't hurt to ask but you shouldn't be telling him what you need. That would turn off most good surgeons.

If he tells you something you don't like and agree with, go for another opinion but do it the same way.

I will give you an example. I have been diagnosed with both arthritis at the base of the thumb and carpal tunnel syndrome on both arms. I went to my top rated hand surgeon and he told me he would have to do two separate operations: one on each arm both upper and lower and with a general anesthesia. (1) I need my hands and (2) I am terrified of general anesthesia.

I went to my neurologist and discussed it with him (I trust him a lot). He told me he trusts a surgeon at the Mayo Clinic and really likes her work. The nerve conduction study had been done by a retired Mayo hand specialist that my neurologist also likes. My neurologist concluded that the upper arm is only moderate and can probably be put off.

I had my appointment there yesterday. I am now scheduled for endoscopic surgery on my non dominant hand, not the ulnar nerve. She also concluded that I can put off the upper arm, at least for now.

As good as he is as a surgeon, he wasn't for me this time and I rapidly went elsewhere. That is my point. I didn't ask her to do an endoscopic surgery. I told her I was terrified of general anesthesia and she told me what she could do for me. When my hand surgeon told me how he would address my problems, and I didn't like the solution, I just went elsewhere.

That is what you should be doing with your search for a revision surgeon.

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My first TKR was done 2018. The reason for the recall was because the polyethylene spacer was manufactured incorrectly.
I know that any good doc will not take kindly to my demand, I want a doc who will suggest it after he reviews the xRays and the other test results that I have had.

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