Bespoke or off the peg!
Posted , 8 users are following.
I was just wondering how prosthetic knees are made. I've had so much trouble with mine that I would like to trace where it came from.
I mean how many types can there be.
Surely mine funded by the NHS wasn't made from scratch.
Was it bespoke or just part of a job lot? Where was it made?
The Queen had a knew knee and she doesn't seem to have any trouble and I'm 30 years younger than she is.
I've been so careful and caring for my family most of my life looking at labels etc that it makes me mad to think I didn't enquire more about this 'contraption' inside me!
1 like, 22 replies
lyn32416 mary12001
Posted
I had a CAT scan prior to my bilateral TKR's. I was informed that my bone measurements were required so as to manufacture my devices for implantation. I did not believe a word of it. Sounded like it was too good to be true. And if it quacks like a duck, well it is probably a duck. My TKR was worth A$50,000. I reckon I got cheap Chinese off the shelf devices they say.I do not know of anyone except the Queen (now) who got bespoke devices. Mine are quite ornery. 😍
mary12001 lyn32416
Posted
I reckon mine was made in China.
It's made apparently of cobalt chrome. They filter cobalt from the water in South America because it's poisonous!
When I told that to the 'surgeon' he said I hadn't had enough for it to do any harm.
A friend told me to get titanium but again the surgeon told me they didn't do that on the NHS and added 'because they don't last as long'
Is it quality as regards longer-lasting over quality?
marilyn10235 mary12001
Posted
When you look at the state of the NHS now I think we are the lucky ones actually having new knees.
They have an array of new prosthetics to choose from & try to make sure the prosthetic you get fits you. But hey I go to M&S & I find I have to buy a size larger than I normally do, in some ranges?? So who is NORMAL size & who is like me & always seem to fit BETWEEN sizes. Doesn't help, don't know the answer. If you go private maybe you get bespoke rather than off the peg!!?? Maybe??
Chin up & keep smiling
Marilyn
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mary12001 marilyn10235
Posted
Unfortunately I went onNHS Direct and was operated on at a private hospital
Very much treated like a poor relation.
Wish now I had gone to my local Orthopedic Hospital which is the finest in the world!
marilyn10235 mary12001
Posted
I had arthroscopy done on NHS at a private hospital in 2008, I know how you feel being the poor relation. Lovely as they all are, there is something??
I'm sure your knee will be better in time & don't forget the Queen doesn't have to hobble down to the kitchen when she wants a drink, or to put the washing on or even to feed the corgis.
Whatever you & I do, we do because we have to! I couldn't stand any more watching my husband trying to use the washing machine or putting another ready meal in the microwave!! Even on 1 leg I had to do it! I think it was a case of getting control of my territory back lol!!
Try to relax into TKR recovery. If you really & truly think something is wrong or the fit not right, make a fuss! Speaking to my friend who has RA, she couldn't get an appt, was sent a letter with totally the wrong information on it & told no appts, & her new treatment, until May!! She complained & had a phone message to say she will be seen THIS week. It definitely pays sometimes not to just put up but to shout out!
Hope you're feeling better about everything soon.
Keep in touch
Marilyn
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mary12001 marilyn10235
Posted
Thank you Marilyn
I think I'm going to try and love my new knee-hard as it is.
If this hydrotherapy doesn't help then I will have to seek further advice
Xx
marilyn10235 mary12001
Posted
Actually Mary, if I remember rightly, we touched on people psychologically not accepting their new knee in an earlier thread. I can't remember exactly when or what the thread was called but someone wrote in about a phenomena in which people were not accepting the prosthetic knee!! So maybe you really don't love your knee for that reason??!!
I sort of poo poohed it but who knows .....
Lol
Marilyn
XX
chris00938 marilyn10235
Posted
I think this is relevant Marilyn. I remember just before I had my op when I suddenly realised the reality of them taking out a fairly big bit of me and putting a 'false' bit in and once that was done, it could never be reversed. And it did give me something to sort out in my mind, for a day or two. I think it's easy to sort of gloss over that aspect. You imagine you're going in to hospital and even though you've read all about it (or watched the DVD of the op like I did) it's easy to think in your mind that you're just 'having an op' that will be painful or uncomfortable and need rehab after to achieve an improvement on the arthritis that was there, without taking into account the reality that a bit of you is coming out and a false bit going in. So I think if this aspect hasn't really been thought about before, it could even be a shock after.
chris00938 mary12001
Posted
I THINK it's the same with all NHS hospitals now - they keep a note of the knee and it's own number, so can trace it back if they need to, so you could ask your surgeon, or even the secretary might be able to tell you. We were shown one by the physio - surprised how heavy it was!
mary12001 chris00938
Posted
I will ask just to be on the safe side.
I still think mine came on a consignment from South East Asia.
The lorry was stopped at the border and the consignment was opened to see if there were any drugs or illegal immigrants. My knee fell out and was kicked around until somebody threw it back!!
chris00938 mary12001
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mary12001 chris00938
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I am beginning to think laughter is a good tonic.
X
chris00938 mary12001
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martinarvelo mary12001
Posted
Mine is made by Zimmer. I think there are lots of different makes. . . There are bespoke prosthesis. . but from what several people on here who have had them say, the results don't seem to be any more or less successful.
Oldfatguy1 mary12001
Posted
As far as tracing the hardware, there is a number for each one and the surgery team records that. I had my revision at a different hospital and grim a different surgeon but they tracked the old one without difficulty. My current surgeon who is on staff at a teaching hospital decided on a different prosthesis due to my particular problems and needs. Of course the hardware is important but the biggest element as far as I'm concerned is the process. I'm on my 3rd one due to a rare tumor and a couple of staph infections. My surgeon told me they are now using a new procedure called "navigation". It uses the same hardware but cuts recovery by half as it does less structural damage damage. It requires the same opening but does much less structural damage, e en less than the custom or computer process. Things are changing so fast in this field you almost have to check updates weekly. BTW, I go to a university teaching hospital where the surgeons have free run of the manufactures products, therefore they are not required to the lowest price contract. Also, I've had 11surgeries, 30 rounds of radiation and t complete rehabs on the same leg. I can tell you, its not easy and it doesn't improve with multiple attemps
lyn32416 Oldfatguy1
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mary12001 Oldfatguy1
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chris00938 Oldfatguy1
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Oldfatguy1 chris00938
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I felt like my re vision was better than the original but staph infection caused a need to have it removed and then replaced. This one is fine but I've had so much damage because of all the surgeries, infections and reoccurance of the tumor ill never be without some pain and limp.
chris00938 Oldfatguy1
Posted
I'm so sorry it's left you in pain, as well as the limp. I hope the pain is controlled?