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Any info on what happens if patient can't/won't walk after TKR?

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Knee
Knee

Relative in hospital nearly a week after TKR. Supposed to be 2 days in hospital, 2 days in rehab facility- all with PT of course being part of it and CPM/ Relative doing less, not more each day, states pain is too great, blood transfusions, diabetes, high BMI.  What happens if patient  doesn't actually walk much if at all after TKR ( I assume the CPM is still in action at this time).

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  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 Knee

    Posted

    Wish there was a hard and fast answer that I could give you. After my 1st tkr I was in the hospital 112 days due to a systemic/global staph infection. Once the determined what it was and found the right antibiotic it was a quick turn around and within a couple of weeks and was finally into PT, that was in 2004. The diabetes and apparent weight problem puts a lot of variables in the total picture. Are the doctors giving you any answers or possibilities. I have a rare tumor condition called pvns that causes heavy bleeding in the affected joint early on. I am now in a rehab facility after having my 11th surgery on the joint last Thursday. The body is such complex unit that can do amazing healing and can turn on a dime. Where in the world are you? There are contributors on this site from many countries so possibilities of someone having 1st hand information may respond but to to time zone changes, etc it may take awhile for it to make the rounds. In the meantime thoughts and prayers be with all in your family circle. Please keep us informed
    • Knee
      Knee Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      Doctors won't talk to us because relative has not given the written permission.  Relative prefers to have full say on what happens or does not happen and so chose not to have anyone else speak on their behalf, so all we get for info is directly from the patient.
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 Knee

      Posted

      Time for a reality check on both sides. To the patient: we will help when you desire to let us. Otherwise we are going on our way and you can call if you wish. The family cannot take the burden of responsibility if not allowed to and doesn't have to share quilt. This messAge just be conveyed by the docs to the patient. May a some time and space will be the difference maker. Seems like the patient is living with some guilt and trying to make others accept what isnt theirs to Begin with. With all due respect to all sides, I would see this being the place for a mental health professional to be indcluded immediately.
    • Knee
      Knee Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      You are very wise. I would agree on all counts.  The last sentence though would still require agreement of relative and that is not likely, which is the gentlest way I can put it.  I do appreciate the "permission" to relieve myself and the half of the rest of the family who have remained available to this relative to not be drawn in to a place we have not been allowed entrance.  My partner is a medical professional so having access to medical informaton and how things work isn't a problem but my partner has read this relative far better than I and is not surprised by current events.  I guess I have to let go of what I cannot do.  We ( my sibling and I ) have offered help and have been indirectly rebuffed.  Perhaps it is I who should make use of the mental health professional! smile
  • mary0606
    mary0606 Knee

    Posted

    Do they have a possible DVT. Causing the pain,.i do know the more you sit around the harder and more painful it will become,
    • Knee
      Knee mary0606

      Posted

      No definitive idea, but I am confident that the facility's staff would have recognized that problem and addressed it if that had occurred.
  • moandrieu
    moandrieu Knee

    Posted

    After my grandmother had a knee replacement (one or two, I'm not sure), she remained in a wheelchair until she passed away. Her BMI wasn't very high and I don't think she had any other serious medical issues. I don't recall what the reasons for it were, my mom says it was because of fear of falling.
  • mary0606
    mary0606 Knee

    Posted

    Actually I find this very sad indeed. I often don't think the surgeons  tell you exactly how much it takes to recover from such a brutal surgery. Some people go in blind ..their surgeons say Mrs x we can give you a new knee /hip and you won't have pain any more. ..yeah right....
    • moandrieu
      moandrieu mary0606

      Posted

      I think you are right Mary. As most of us have mentioned on here, we had no idea how much pain this was going to be. You cannot fathom it! And then you hear the horror stories (like oldfatguy) and have to accept that some people just have a much more difficult time with it due to nothing on their part.
    • mary0606
      mary0606 moandrieu

      Posted

      Yes so much can go wrong and go right too, you need to really do your homework before allowing someone to slice you open, break your bone ream it out shove something into it and then expect you to walk...he must have done hundreds if not thousands for them....
    • Knee
      Knee mary0606

      Posted

      The other 5 surgeons did try, very hard to relay what is entailed and how the relative fit or did not fit into the picture of this procedure being something to pursue.  The relative deemed that those surgeons were incorrect and did not want anyone with reservations to do the surgery.

       

  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 Knee

    Posted

    First of all I would say people are very different and do not worry too much.

    I had TKR 3 years ago. Had to have blood transfusion.

    I was not too bad at walking but found it difficult to bend the knee.

    I was in hospital 9 days after TKR.

    Not sure what you mean by CPM?

    Let me know how our relative is doing.

    It does get better.

    Sarah

    • veronica91735
      veronica91735 sarah87162

      Posted

      It's a machine Sarah, called a Continuence Perpetual Movement machine, easier to say CPR!

      I had the use of one at physio only, once a week, & it worked very well. Told to stop using it when they discovered the prosthesis was misaligned, as it could do further damage. Still on the waiting list for the revision.

  • martinarvelo
    martinarvelo Knee

    Posted

    Arelative of a friend of mine had a TKR about eighteen months ago.  she is very overweight, and refused to walk or do the exercises after the operation.  She was discharged eventually, and now, eighteen months after the operation, lives in bed, or in a chair which is beside the bed.  She will not / can not even walk to the bathroom.  If it continues for too long, some sort of psychological help would seem to be needed to avoid this.  However, do check to see if this person is receiving decent pain medication. i was only given paracetamol to begin with, and the pain overpowered me.  Until 13 days, when i finally talked the specialist into giving me tramadol, I was totally useless.  Once on decent medication I soon found the strength to force myself.I would advise this person to thnk very seriously of the long term effects of not forcing her/himself to move. Most of us have a successful outcome. . .but input from the patient is essential.  the surgeon can only do so much. 
    • Knee
      Knee martinarvelo

      Posted

      My overall response addresses your comments.  At this point it appears that the buy in of the patient that seemed to be there for the most part prior to surgery is not present post TKR.  It will be imperative, is what I am understanding, for the relative to do the work and make up for lost time.  Perhaps the nearly half dozen infusions will contribute to a renewed effort.
    • martinarvelo
      martinarvelo Knee

      Posted

      But you have to remember that at the moment your relative is basically still in shock from a brutal operation . . It seems also there has been a lot of loss of blood, which leads to weakness, depression, inability to thnk clearly . . I think the blood transfusions will help, and hopefully soon there will be an improved input from the patient.  It is so important for him/her. Here in spain we don't get the option of a rehab facility . I imagine you are in the States/

       

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