Knee Replacement surgery?

Rob Keeble

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Location
GTA Ontario Canada
Anyone here had knee replacement surgery and care to discuss this with me privately?

I am getting out of denial mode and into action mode and would like to talk to people that have been through it.

Not going to link to it but you tube has some incredible videos showing the detailed surgical process in real time.

Looks way too much like you need woodworking skills to do this job. Think i will be asking the doc if he does things with his hands for a hobby.

They use all the tools we do including caulking gun and glue.

My biggest fear is at 20 when i had a motorcycle accident one of the results was a plate and screws put in on my left leg tibia and for reasons i do not know now (dont have the records etc) it was rejected by my body ended escalated to bone sepsis and nearly lost my leg.

Now i have a better grasp of what they do in the knee replacement my concern is what happens if body rejects knee parts. There is no going backwards like there was with the plate. They took plate out and bones healed up over time with correct treatment.

In the Knee replacement they cut away bone in three locations.

Been putting this off because of my age but a couple of weeks ago at my Lions meeting, a 70+ guy sitting next to me at the dinner table told me he had just complete 18 holes of golf that day. It hit me right between the head that statement as i could not get through the walking for more than one with what is going on in my right knee.
Docs have said issue is have it done too young and it will need replacing which would mean in my 70's and they said the replacements don't work out that well. But by the same token i could die of cancer in a years time who knows so whats the point of holding out.

Trouble i am having, is given the way our system works, the specialist docs give you 5 minutes at a time. Hardly enough to even discuss concerns and get a grip on the whole thing. So i am having to educate myself. Its understandable when you discover they only get just over $1000 to do the whole job. Changing two ball joints on my Jeep Commander at a dealer here cost $1300 whats that say one can expect. Now that don't have to cover the theater and parts but still for labor that seems pretty light to me for what we talking about.

Getting old sucks and I am paying full value for my sins as a youngster.
 
Your "system" sounds much scarier than the surgery might be. I don't blame you for hesitating. However, in the retirement community where I live such things as knee, hip replacement is common. Outcomes are almost successful. Doing the PT is important afterwards. The failed outcomes are generally with very obese people who just cannot/will not do the PT.
 
Frank is right, Rob. I have been with many people as a pastor as they go through joint replacement. The key is do the physical therapy. Slack off there and the replacement will not be a success. I am also told there is a lot of pain to get through the PT, but you gotta suck it up and do it anyway if you want success.

The 'grey' area is with your body rejecting a plate years ago. What was the plate made of and what are the ball joints made of? Maybe a whole different thing this time around. Been lots of changes made in the medical field in past years. Your concern deserves the attention of one of those 5 minute sessions with the doc. Have you also researched rejection of joints in some people?

Will be talking with the Boss for you.
 
Rob, doubt your surgeon does anything as a hobby that could damage his hands/living. I watched you tube videos about my surgery also and glad the surgeons and techniques are available to us as needed. A lot has changed since your motorcycle wreck. My surgeon was very informative and willing to talk about my concerns and glad I had tried to educate myself. They don't have all day to talk, but if your surgeon isn't willing to spend some time with you, find another surgeon.
 
Everyone I know who has had knee replacement surgery in Canada is perfectly happy with the results. Your doctor probably7 spends his spare time practising knee replacements on cadavers. My heart surgery would bill out at about $20,000 for the hospital stay, operating room, tools, staff and doctor, but the doc did a perfect job. Don't worry about the quality of the work, you are getting the best care in the world. Just go with it and you'll be fine.
 
Rob, doubt your surgeon does anything as a hobby that could damage his hands/living....

My brother in law does a lot of surgery and is an expert woodworker. He did trade his ordinary table saw for a high end SawStop.

When my son had the ACL and LCL tendons replaced in his knee, the surgeon tried to explain how the new tendon was attached - I immediately recognized a tapered plug (saved from cutting the hole) through the bone (straight from woodworking shop), so as the tendon pulled, it tightened the plug (and by the time the therapy was over) the bone plug had fused. The hard part was, within hours of surgery, my son had to be using the leg to tighten the plug - a painful process.

I have not had replacement surgery, but from observation have learned to not lump hip replacements and knee replacements in the same group. From what I have seen, recovery from hip replacement is far faster and less painful than knee replacement. MY father in law was back on his horse in record time after hip replacement. My neighbor had both knees replaced at the same time, and was basically housebound for many weeks during his physical therapy, but I see him working on his lawn all the time now, months later.
 
If I couldn't walk well enough to play one hole of golf, my choice would be pretty easy. Never had it yet, but my surgeon is ready for me to tell him when I want it. You can also wait too long before having it done, which will limit your outcome. I understand your hesitancy completely, but how it sounds like your mobility is already quite impaired. Good luck!
 
My mom had both knees replaced about three years ago. My dad had one knee replaced. Both are happy with the result. My dad had it done at the age of 73. Mom wanted to get both knees done at the same time but the doctor advised against it.
 
No knee, but 2 hips replaced, have a few friends that have had knee replacements, friends that assist in the procedures also. You know I am happy to share anything on the subject that will help, and no fears, techniques and parts have changes drastically since you were 20, heck, the changes between my hips (8 years apart) were incredible!
 
Rob, doubt your surgeon does anything as a hobby that could damage his hands/living...

A former dentist of mine did high-end gunsmithing and engraving as a hobby. Made me feel pretty confident about his skills when he started drilling on me. :)

I know very little about joint replacement aside from sharing a hospital room with a guy who had one of his knees replaced. He was up and about the day after surgery, and was sent home another day later. I understand your concerns about rejection, but materials and anti-rejection medication have surely advanced a lot in the last 20 years.
 
Hi Robb,

I have had two knee replacements. One in October, 2011 and the second one in May, 2013. Some points to consider.
First, just like in woodworking the doctor who has done the procedure the most number of times usually has the best results. Ask how many knees he has replaced. The more frequently and more recently the better. A good hip doc is not necessarily a good knee doc. Find a doctor who specializes in knees.

Second, does he use something called "navigation?" This is computer aided placement of the new knee. If he says no then find a new doctor. You really do not want him 'eye balling' the correct placement of the new knee.

Third, it is absolutely essential that you follow the rehab program. Other than doctor incompetence then is probably the single biggest reason for problems.

Fourth, after you have done the replacement and the rehab you will be kicking yourself in the butt for not having done it years ago.

Fifth, I am not sure if you need two replacements or one. If two, then the question is together or consecutively. Hospitals and doctors vary. Some do two, some do one at a time. My doctor said they had better results when done consecutively. Health economics might be the final decision maker. Rehab is longer when both knees are done at the same time.
I was given a list of key points by an Orthopaed a few years ago. I will try to find it and will send it by pm. However, I think the above are the key points. Good luck and keep us informed.
 
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Never had one, but I do have both scheduled a few years in the future.

Having had 3 shoulder surgerys, I will say what a couple others have. Do the therapy and do it right. My shoulder is dang near perfect, some of the credit goes to the scalpel operator and the rest goes to the therapist and me. Do the therapy, do the therapy.
 
All of you guys are a lot braver than I am. All of you.

Not me brother. I'd limp with a cane and drink McMasters (pain killer) all day long before volentarliy letting someone cut me open.

I'd ask the Doc two questions:

1. How many of your patients have died from complications from this surgery?

2. How many people have died from complications from this surgery in the past five years.


Not me brother, I'm just too darn chicken.

But good luck...
 
Thank you all for both the private messages and all your info you shared with me. have taken note of everything and the list for the next 5 minute conversation is going to be a long one so like it or not that 5 minutes is going to be stretched regardless till i get all my questions answered to my satisfaction.

Having watched a video on May clinic site i am aware of the computer guided advances and will inquire as to how this process is performed in our neck of the woods and will also inquire as to if there is choice. Choice though if it exists may mean a different doctor. So thats another wildcard.

Got a long time to go, each appointment takes about 2 months at a min to get and the waiting list at the last doc i saw was min 6 months. But i can use that time to my advantage trimming down the weight substantially and building leg muscles up. I fully respect the physio therapy profession to me they more important people than doctors. I have a good shoulder as a result and the mere fact that i can actually walk and use my left leg post the motorcycle accident is a tribute to physiotherapists that treated me and let me stick around their facility for extended hours with only charging for a half hour appointment at the time. I also found and excellent guy in my local neighborhood so he will be the chosen one and will begin working with him pre operation in prep for the post op side.

Thanks again for the responses i appreciate every one. :thumb:
 
Scott, surgery of any kind is always a serious matter and complications are possible. But these days the risks are very minimal. We have a good friend who is an orthopod. In more than 40 years of doing hip and knee replacements, numbering in the many thousands, he lost one patient. And that loss may not have been related to the surgery. That patient threw a clot on the way home after surgery and several days in the hospital. Nobody is going to tell you to have the surgery. But, the day will (probably) when you tell the doctory you need it.
 
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