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Is everyone happy with TKR results except me????

Posted , 12 users are following.

Jeannenp
Jeannenp

I had a TKR of my right knee in 2014 (early in the year). I did well for about a week and a half. Then pain increased, my ability to walk decreased. My wound opened began draining at about 5 weeks post op. I did exactly what my surgeon suggested ( no wound culture, no tap, no antibiotics, worked hard to febrile a get the wound closed. Constant, unimaginable pain.....exponentially more than initial post op period. I told him repeatedly I felt that it was infected, that I felt I was having too much pain. Day 85 post op I could not touch my foot to the ground without excruciating pain. Labs showed likely joint infection and tap of knee confirmed it.

1 week later joint removed and antibiotic spacer placed.....worst day of my life from a pain standpoint. Went home with a PICC line and 8 weeks of IVantibiotics, Groin to knee immobilized ....I lost 55 pounds, my eyelashes and lots of my hair. A new knee was placed after 12 weeks and went as planed. I'm left with neuropathy in right leg, ongoing knee pain as well as pain from the neuropathy. I hear people say " I tease arched my surgeon so I didn't have problems"...so did I. "I did antibiotic showers and had antibiotics after so I didn't get infected" so did I. I did exactly what my surgeon told me and did my PT so I didn't have any problems"....so did I. I'm left with pain and made to feel like it's my fault. My other knee is just as bad....is anyone pain free after this? My right leg is ruined....terrified to "fix ". my left. I did my best; why can't people accept that I didn't cause this?

2 likes, 21 replies

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  • granmonica
    granmonica Jeannenp

    Posted

    No, you are not the only one.  Worse decision of my life.  I had TKR January 2014.  About the 5th day in rehab I suddenly had excruciating pain in my foot, was checked for blood clots, nothing found, and pain gradually got a little better.  Don't know if that had anything to do with my later ongoing pain and problems or not.  Did ten days  of inpatient rehab, two months of outpatient.  Always had pain.  In Sept 2015 suddenly began to have capilaries in the knee break, and black and blue blood spots appear

    that look like really large bad bruises, but not bruises. Surgeon took xrays, found nothing, then had a bone scan that shows the devise is loose.  He knew I probably would not have a revision anyway, and he said it probably wouldn't help.  My GP and I agree that as long as I can live with the pain and not in a wheelchair, we won't even consider a revision.  I think he believe the pain is less now than it would be after a revision.  It is causing pain in my lower leg but I can live with it.  I'm 79, had the TKR at 77.  I lost 40 pounds during these two years and now have very little pain in the left knee.  Just should have lost weight first and not had the surgery.  Good luck with your situation.  You are definitely not alone.  I don't want to sue anyone but I certainly wish there were some way to record our numbers to know how many unhappy patients there are due to surgical problems.

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 granmonica

      Posted

      That's why I had my revision. The tumor that caused my problem had eaten up enough bone to allow the prosthesis to break loose and rotate causing horrendous pain. When he operated the lower part of the appliance was lifted out with the finger tips and a slight tap with a small wedge like hammer caused the upper part to fall off. I think I'd be looking at a 2nd opinion. I was 75 when this was done
  • irish_linda
    irish_linda Jeannenp

    Posted

    no no no its not your fault !!!!!  i feel so sorry for you ,,yet again your totaly let down by the system .ive had problems major ones after a bi lateral which ended up in a revision and still not where i should be ,thank god i didnt get an infection its about the only thing that didnt happen to me . i do know a guy early 50 s he had a bi lateral and got an infection he got treated with antibiotics ,a few weeks later he nearly died and was rushed back in and had it opened up and washed out with antibiotics and also on a drip for a few weeks he thank god recovered he didnt get a revision he so far has held on the the kee ,but he is in alot of pain and is using a stick all the time ,he is self employed ,as a builder but struggling to work ,he could lose everything his livelyhood and his house because if he cant work he is bunched !!! so dont let anyone blame you , look i did all i could with my knee and it was usless the knee failed it was the surgeons fault and if it was possible i would have sued him but i cant i signed the forms saying these things happen ,always the medical team come out on top !! you cant beat them (well in this country anyway).sickens me if i saw the first surgeon on an escalator id find it hard not to push him down it and see him suffer ,thats highly unlikely as im scared withless of the  escalators as my leg wouldnt move fast enough to get on or off the thing. my thoughts are with you that you will get sorted  x
    • irish_linda
      irish_linda

      Posted

      get a second or even a third opinion ,i did change my surgeon as i no longer had any trust in the first surgeon
  • martinarvelo
    martinarvelo Jeannenp

    Posted

    It's one of the most annoying things other people do to patients . . try to make them feel responsible for their situation when it is either the luck of the draw, or the inefficiency of the surgeon.  I've seen the comment so often that' he has survived cancer due to hisatitude and courage.'  Rubbish . total rubbish. You survive these things because you get the right treatment, you are lucky, or your body was able to cure itself.  I really feel for you and for all the suffering you have been through. it certainly looks as if they spent much too long treating you like a hypochondriac when you yuourself knew that you had a problem which wasn't going to solve itself.  When something which has started out fairly OK gets worse, it surely has to be a red light signal.  People who are suggesting, or implying, that you brought this on yourself have obviously never been in a similar  situation.  Gabapentin and Lyrica did little for me, but I am lucky that my nerve pain has settled down into  tingling and numbness, and I can live with it.  I hope you don't have any further profblems, and that they are wrong when they say it will not get any better.  As you have discovered already, they are certainlyNOT always right. . .judging by the dates mentioned, you are around four to five months out from the second op?  if I'm right, then there is still time for a huge amoutn of improvement. At one year, things are still changing for me . . . I hope they go on improving for you.  And tell those idiots who suggest you are in some way to blame to go take a long walk on a short pier. . . .you don't need that sort of negativity.

     

  • elent
    elent Jeannenp

    Posted

    It's a sad thing to have a TKR infection.  A friend of mine had a TKR and I had one later.  He contracted an infection, I didn't.  Most of the severe infections occur in the hospital - and usually in the operating room.  The bad thing about them, over the general population who get infected, is that the bacteria can collect at the device (an area not serviced by your body's immune system) and are hell to unlikely to get rid of.  

    You might check with the oldfatguy (his online name) on this forum  -- he had similar and might offer some insights.

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