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Husband's knee surgery

Posted , 11 users are following.

martha61033
martha61033

My husband had knee replacement last July. He has always said it just didn't "feel right". So in Feb. they took him to surgery twice to clean out the knee. Last Monday, they took him back and removed the knee and put a cement spacer in. He will be on IV antibiotics for 6 weeks, we go to the infection disease control clinic every day for new bags of his antibiotics. He cannot put any weight on that leg or bend it, so he is in a brace from ankle to thigh. The weird thing is that the cultures have not grown any infection. The dr is thinking now that he is possibly allergic to one or more of the components of the knee, so they are sending him to an allegy clinic for testing. It will be and has been a long hard hill to climb. We are praying that they find something so that when they do the next replacement in 8 weeks, this one will be alright.

1 like, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • andrea30334
    andrea30334 martha61033

    Posted

    Wow martha ive never heard of that I feel sooo sorry for you both!!! But hang in there and hopefully they will get it right!!!!
  • Mrst123
    Mrst123 martha61033

    Posted

    Oh Martha, I'm so sorry to hear the problems your husband has been experiencing. You have certainly gone thru the mill!  Fingers crossed that these obstacles will soon be a thing  of the past and that your husband will soon be dancing......
  • moandrieu
    moandrieu martha61033

    Posted

    Oh no. Old Fat guy is undergoing something similar. So did your husband know right away that something was wrong? I remember laying in surgical ICU with the overwhelming thought that it's possible my body could reject my new knees. Hadn't thought about it before. I'm pretty sure I've not got anything to worry about, but I sure did pray a lot in the beginning. Still am, just for different things.
  • elaine94716
    elaine94716 martha61033

    Posted

    Oh dear what a nightmare for you I really hope they get to the bottom of it soon, your poor husband must be so fed up. Keep us posted.  Sending positive thoughts to you. 
  • martha61033
    martha61033

    Posted

    He never got completely rid of the pain or the swelling. He has had his other knee done a few years ago, and it is straight, and he has good movement with that one, so he just said there had to be something wrong with this one. I just wish the dr. had listened to me in January when the pain and swelling got overwhelming. I am a retired nurse, not orthopedic, but knew some of the signs to look for. When he did finally listen, he did take the knee out. I had also told him I felt there could be some type of allergy and he said no. But he is saying now, that there is nickel in the titanium so that could be a possiblity. I also think that is could have just been a bad knee from the manufacturer.
    • andrea30334
      andrea30334 martha61033

      Posted

      Hek thats unbelievable I feel for you both!!! I hope they get something sorted for both your sakes??
  • Peglegbev
    Peglegbev martha61033

    Posted

    Oh wow your poor husband and you let's hope the experts find out what he is allergic to and get it fixed.

    Please keep in touch on this forum we are all here to help one another

  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 martha61033

    Posted

    Exactly what I'm going through and the identical situation, no cultures, but they did fund infection on the bone which they scraped off. I have 8 weeks of antibiotics but I'm able to do them at home as they put in a PICC line and the pharmacy delivers the meds and tubing once a week. Home health nurse takes blood every Monday and ID doc makes adjustments to med formula. The only culture that caused this was found when they drained a pocket of fluid then injected a contrast and drained that. Somewhere in there a tiny pocket of staph which all the docs agreed would have come back to haunt me later on. Not sure when I'll get my new knee but estimates are, within the next 6 weeks. I see the surgeon and ID doc the 28th and the decision will be made then.
    • martha61033
      martha61033 Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      Thank you for letting me know this. I am going to talk to his dr. about that tomorrow. My husband is so weak he it takes every bit of strength he has just to get from his chair to the bathroom.
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 martha61033

      Posted

      I know that feeling. I would wake up feeling bad and by mid afternoon I was feeling so bad I couldn't eat. I had to push myself as I take care of most of my wife's needs as she has Parkinson's disease and it in a progressive mode. I would use my energy to fix dinner then could only eat 3 or 4 bites before starting to feel nauseated. It took better part of a month to start feeling better but after almost 6 weeks doing better except it takes so much energy dragging the bad leg around with a walker. Hope within a month and o get the new knee. That will bring total surgeries on this leg to 11
  • SonnysGirl
    SonnysGirl martha61033

    Posted

    Bless your man heart. I know it's hard to deal with. Will be praying for him. Then infections is bad. And we never know when we will get one.

    Hang in there be the best you can be. God is watching over him.

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