Problems after 2nd.stage knee revision
Hi there, I had 2nd.stage of surgery to my right knee mid December 2020.Having a lot of pain issues now with knee and lower foot around ankles and just above that at site of old tibia/tibia fracture.Knee is very very hot and tight.Have to rest up/elevate constantly to the point that I'm practically bedridden. Also keep getting rash over past two years that appears to start at old tibia/tibia wound and it gets incredibly itchy.I struggle to walk even with two crutches as foot can't stand weight.Yet surgeon thinks I'm doing very well???.
I'm 66 years old now.was always very fit and could never just sit down and relax,had to be doing something. Be it house , gardens or grandchildren.Was always very active with my 2 youngest grandchildren. When their younger brother came along I was slowing down a bit due to what I thought were old road traffic accident injuries caused by my motorcycling falls when I was a teenager.But at this point I could walk normally and still run although it was painful.So I went along with Surgeons advice to have a T.K.R. in November 2017.Leg felt good after that but surgeon not happy with bend and I had an M.U.A. in June 2018.It was at this point that my old wound started really bothering me with extreme pain.Surgeon said it was referred pain!!.Knee felt like it was a tree stump,they suspected eventually that prosthesis may have come loose(maybe from M.U.A.) and might be infected.So in April 2019 they decided to do revision and they only replaced lower part of prosthesis. Following surgery surgeon advised me that they had accidentally broken my tibial plate and would have to keep weight of my leg for 6 weeks.Whilst still in hospital my wound ruptered and it took almost a year for wound to heal with nurse dressing it every 2 to 3 days. My surgeon then offered me a second opinion( but from a surgeon who was connected to the hospital.) He advised having the two stage revision.Had first stage in July 2020.Tissue samples showed that it was infected.Developed a blood clot in my lung on last day of home antibiotics via picc line.Had second stage on 16th.December 2020. So that is were I am now.Told my surgeon that if xray imaging was showing nothing wrong then he had to do other imaging. He is ordering MRI imaging now.But he appears very reluctant to go any further.I would appreciate any feedback that anyone might have in relation to post second stage outcomes and expectations as there seems very little to view.thank you and keep safe,Stephen
Stephen,
It sounds like you have really been through a lot and that your journey is not over. For your own safety, we cannot give medical advice. My own mother-in-law had a very bad experience with a TKR that became infected. Once her knee joint became infected, all of the original prosthesis had to come out because the doctors could not guarantee that the infection did not adhere to the prosthesis. In short, she ultimately had 10 surgeries on her knee including the original TKR because it had become infected, the latter 7 of those surgeries at a different hospital with different surgeons who saved her leg.
I can only imagine how difficult this journey has been for you and that it is not over. Please feel empowered to seek another opinion if you feel that your care is not what you feel it should be.
Sending you best wishes and healing thoughts, Lisa, RA Team Member
Hi Lisa , many thanks for your reply and advice.I'm just hoping to hear back from others who have had similar surgeries that I can try and gauge where I am in terms of what my expectations and hopes are and what I may face yet.Its possible my expectations are too high too early and that I might have to just buckle up and give it a LOT more time.I can only try and gauge that by learning of other peoples journeys.Again , many thanks Lisa and kind regards and keep safe , Stephen
You're very welcome, Stephen. I hope that others will see your post and add their experiences. --Lisa
