TKR Revision booked. Aspiration in theatre first.

Posted , 6 users are following.

Have been at the hospital for 3 hours. The revision is booked, although this hospital is still on black alert since winter, & it may be up to 6 months before I have the revision done. I have also gone on the cancellation list. First I have to have an aspiration on the TKR in theatre, to see if the large lumps are caused by an infection, to be honest, the lumps are on the side of the malalignment, so I'm convinced there is not an infection,  I have had all the pre-op tests today for both proceedures. I am so impressed with the new consultant, who oozes confidence. I know 100% this may also be among the 1-2% that fail, but he has gone through what he is going to do - it will be all so different from last October, when I had the primary TKR. For a start, there will be virtually no chance of having the huge haematoma, as he has not used tourniquets for 9 years, believing they do more harm than good (I'm living proof of that!), he said he repairs along the way, I will wake up with a drain in this time, just in case there is bleeding, & any blood will be transfused back into my body, next - he prefers a leg/calf pump instead of stockings (I had to wear them for 6 weeks!), as again, they are often too tight as our poorly legs swell, the pump is used just for the hospital stay, as walking pumps the blood in the same way, also - he is removing a muscle (I think that's what he said - could have been tendon/ligament) as the scan shows this has attached to my patella & will be usless, so I will have an artificial one which will never attach/get scarred up, & will bend easier. The hospital stay is usually one day longer (I was only in 2 nights before!) as it's a longer op. I know this may not be 100%, & he has drummed that into me today, but to me, apart from the wait, it already sounds better. I may well be on this forum for a long, long time! If you are new on here - please don't worry - TKR's going this wrong are very rare, & at least they do what they can to put them right!

2 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    Veronica I'm really pleased that you've got a consultant that seems to know what he's doing now. It makes such a difference. My TKR journey has been a little unconventional too. I have extra bits in my leg to hold up the knee. I'm waiting on further surgery to straighten the leg. My first stay in hospital was 9 days due to various complications and my next is supposedly only going to be 4 days. I'm only 36 so it's obviously unusual. My consultant though is amazing. He is so confident that it makes me confident. I'm sure I'll be on here a while yet so we can keep each other company (I'm 15 weeks post).

    Keep us posted x

    • Posted

      That's so much for you to go through. You are very young too - about the same age as my daughter. I am a very unconventional 64 year old, who has lived life to the full until TKR number one last October. I knew from about 5-6 weeks that all was not right, but it took some fighting to get where I am today, 8 months after the 1st op. I do trust this second consultant, & really wish I'd had him 1st time around, but that was a different hospital, & he doesn't operate there! We'll keep each other informed!
  • Posted

    good luck veronica i had a revision knee done 9mths ago and ive improved i was given very little hope of improvement it would be a slim chance if it did ,. a confident surgeon is so important ,mine was the same very cocky and it rubbed off you need that its a scary time .he did tell me after op that i had enormous job of physio ahead of me ,but it didnt faze me i was up for it ,ive worked so hard  ive had hospital physio ta first once a week  and then every two weeks for months but over the last few weeks i got private physio ,its improved so much my bend is getting close to 100 without realy pushing and my straightening just under 8%off straight it was 14% off and before revision my bend was75%and to get 80%was agony im so pleased he took me on as i would not consider the first surgeon coming near me good luck it worked out for me  .
    • Posted

      I think they feel they HAVE to tell you there is a good chance nothing will improve after a revision, but like you - I will certainly work on it, & I am fully prepared to give it all I have got! He did say what he will do will mean a better bend/straightening, & that within 12 weeks, I should be walking our dogs for 2 miles - I never did that before a TKR, so we'll see!!!
  • Posted

    I'm so glad for you that you seem to have a surgeon now who really knows what he is doing. . I only hope that you don't have to wait the six months. . that will be very hard on you!  How interesting that he doesnt use a tourniquet!  i wish my surgeon hadn't/ / my thigh is still painful and numb at the same time, and i doubt really whether it is going to clear up much more!  Fingers crossed for you that there is a cancellation you can use!

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