Calling out for all post TTT's sucess stories

[lmel16]

Hi All,

I have just had a TTT done 4 weeks ago due to my right knee constantly dislocating.

I would like to gather together all sucess stories from people who have had only one TTT either on one or both knees and have had a successful outcome. I have found a couple on the sucess story site but i wondered if there are any others that have had successful outcomes aswell.

thanx Mel

[fraud_ninja]

I would like to gather together all sucess stories from people who have had only one TTT either on one or both knees and have had a successful outcome.

Haha, I guess the fact that I have had four TTT's is not what you are looking for.  Be encouraged, my second round of TTT's were wildly successful, so it is possible to have a life after TTT's.

[lmel16]

Thankyou anyway, fraud-ninja for your post, im hoping that this will be my one and only TTT, but havent found too many successful uncomplicated TTT recoveries.

If i could slightly change my search to all Elmsie Trillat procedures that have been a success, as im pretty sure thats what i have had done.

Thanx Mel

[Heathers new knee]

Hi Mel~

Well, I've had success so far. 3 months out from LR, TTT, PFJR combo and the lateral maltracking is alot better. The patella glides upward as it should now and the baja is corrected. The kneecap itself was nearly 2 cm out of orbit.  The downside is that the tibia has becomes very soft due to improper gait for 2 years and the screws (which are visible just under the skin) are pretty painful yet. The last x-rays were about 3 weeks ago and it's starting to heal.

Hey! just curious if your TTT has jacked up some patellar tendonitis, too? Just finished 12 round of ionto and I can atleast touch the bugger now. It's TENDER!  Think this surgery can take a while for things to simmer down. Also curious if you're in an immobilzer. If so, do you know for how long you'll need it?

wish you the best of luck and hope to hear from you soon...
Heather 

[lmel16]

Hi Heather

Im in a plaster cast which is due to be removed on thursday after 5 weeks. So im also not sure yet whether i have any tendonitis.
Although I can really feel the tendon pulling when i tense my knee/quads, so i dont know if thats a form of tendonitis? I think it may be due to the tendon being moved.

Im dreading having the cast removed as i know my knee will feel so unstable and painful! 

Mel 

[Heathers new knee]

Hey Mel~

Wow! It's interesting to hear what different sorts of leg contraptions doc's put people in after these TTT's. Mine ordered an immobilizer. D/c'd from the hospital after 1.5 days with one precaution and a rather serious one. The OS said you HAVE to be careful at all times. If you fall, you'll break your tibia! Yikes! Well...come to think about it, TTT is a made-made broken bone. Just screwed back in place.

I hope Thurs. goes well for you. You're right, it'll probably be unstable feeling. The first time I took the immobilizer off and tried to use one crutch, the quads nearly collapsed. Same thing after the patella ORIF when the Bledsoe brace (cast-like brace) came off. Actually, it's recommended that I stay on one crutch until my gait is normal and can walk without pain. PT also wants it protected/immobilzed in public until we have a "healed" x-ray. Be careful, ok? You "might" graduate down to something else for a while until it's more stable. Still on crutches? Hope your pain meds keep things manageable, too.

I sure hope you don't have tendonitis. Fingers crossed for you! It feels like intense pinching/bee-stings all along my tendon. Not surprising though, I've had it off/on since I was injured. Lots of scarring that was recently removed around it, too. I totally understand the pulling sensations you're getting. The quads are attached to the tendon. Have you been cleared for PT or will you go after the cast comes off? They can do alot of manual work to help that "pull". Finally starting to loosen up a bit but, it's like pulling taffy LOL! 

Take care! Wish ya the best and hope to hear from you soon....
Heather 

[lmel16]

Hi Heather
I have a small splint like thingy, already, on the advise from previous PT, so i think i shall def wear it.

I have decided to go with a crutch to the appointment on thursday, i dont care what the surgeon says if my leg feels ok then fine i wont use it but if it doesnt then at least i have the support there if i need it. Makes me feel better.

I'm still on and off crutches at the min depending on how my knee is feeling and my physio doesnt start until next week after the cast comes off. I have gone with someone who is extremly expensive but very good at what she does and i felt that was really important especially after hearing all the post op horror stories on here! 

Ive also planned on not going back to work now until after my holiday towards the end of june, i also thought i could go back in a couple of weeks but talking to people on here and my line of work i think it would be slightly impossible!

spk soon
Mel

[Heathers new knee]

Heya Mel~

VERY smart move on bringing the crutch with you. Finally have a love/hate relationship with my crutch now but, it's always close by. Don't want to be stuck and unable to move. Actually, I still use both if I'm going to be up and about for longer than 30 min. or so. I have quite a bit pain but, it's expected from all the work this recent surgery included. A casted or immobilzed leg is almost always weaker when set free so, you're thinking smart!

The splint may also help the pain when the cast comes off, too. Might want to bring it along to the bone doc's appt. to get some input. After several months, it was ok'd for mine to come off while in the house but, still need it most nights to sleep (for protection/comfort) and when outside.

Back to work in June? YAY!!! I hope you can! What type of work do you do? I've been disabled from my nursing career since I was injured (it was bad and the whole leg is severely atrophied) and have about another year of rehab ahead of me. Hope I can go back at some point, too!! PT will be your best friend in helping get you back on your feet. Glad you chose the best available one you could find...very important! Rehabbing can be tricky and we don't all fit inside the box with others, so to speak. That's where excellence and experienced PT comes in VERY handy. Excited to hear how that goes for you.

Take care and hope to chat more soon...
Heather 

[lmel16]

Hi Heather,

Cast is off, and knee feels very odd! The surgeon allowed me to walk out with both crutches thankfully!

Started physio friday, it went really well wasnt able to do much but my physio therapist made me feel more confident with the way the knee felt so i wasnt so scared. She also knows me well and knows were and when to push me.

My knee hardly bends at all, and im in alot more pain especially in the evenings. im also back to NWB! With regards to the tendonitis, every now and again i get tiny stabbing pains in that area and last night i had shooting stabbing pains that were so unbearable, but subsided after a while!! Do you think that this is tendonitis?

Im a veterinary Nurse so doesnt really help with regards to disabilitating joints! Ive just been on the phone to one of my friends from work who has just gone back to work 8 weeks after having ACL done. She is having a hard time as her leg is struggerling and work arnt being to sympathetic, so she has warned me not to go back until completly 100%! Sorry if you have already mentioned this but how long have you been off work?

spk soon

Mel

[Heathers new knee]

Hi Mel~ 

Yay!!! Cast is off!!! Betcha that feels better, huh? I'd expect things to feel odd, it has for me, too. First time, I was in the Bledsoe brace (post-fracture) for nearly 3 months and WOW! my leg was as weak as a newborn pup when it came off. The last one was the immobilizer and it wasn't too bad. The weak/unstable feelings should start to settle after your leg gets used to it. PT will help, too. On a usual note, folks do have a bit of a problem with WB after the support is removed. NWB should progress to PWB hopefully soon!!

Speaking of PT, she should be able to tell you where your pain source is coming from RE tendonitis. The quad tendon inserts off the the quad muscles and comes down to the patella. The other end is the patellar tendon, which is where your TTT is. The tendon attaches to the tibial tubercle, incase you didn't know. One of my screws is pretty visible and that's where I have alot of pain. If I'm on my feet too long, it starts the knife stabbing stuff. So, I can relate to that. I'm soo sorry...it sucks huh? If it is tendonitis with yours too, she should have some great modalities for it. Personally love iontophoresis...I can atleast touch the angry bugger now without going through the roof, LOL!

Hey! Are you doing land or water PT? Water is sooo nice, makes bending/moving it around alot less painful. Hopefully, the ROM will come back quickly for you. Keep stretching ok? Sometimes, it helps to ice it up first and then afterwards, too. How's the inflammation? Can you wear the splint at night to help your pain when sleeping? Might help. Do you have pain meds, too?

Ah, you're a vet nurse! Cool! I adore animals and have quite a few critters myself. Sometimes think it'd be more interesting than people nursing, LOL! Hope you can get back to it very soon. Thanks for asking about my work status. I've been off since the accident on 5-10-07. Chronic pain/severe arthritis/profound muscle atrophy has prevented my return. So, the TTT was part of this last combo surgery to fix it for good...I hope!!

Happy healing and thumbs up with PT.  Hope the pain backs off and you can get some rest. Chat with ya later...

Heather 

[lmel16]

you've had to put up with this for so long now, how do you cope? 

I went to my second physio appointment today, saw a different physio there is two of them in the same clinic and they work closely together.
My goodness i was deffinatly put through my pain threshold this morning. When i went in i only had 145 degrees flexion by the end i had 125 degrees which doesnt seem alot after what i went through and this was tears and all  !! Feel very embarrassed for crying but it was so painful and im suffering for it now. She also worked on my calf muscle which has tightened into a ball!! I think i used every bad word i could think of!!! hehe. They are both very good i need people like that other wise i will never push myself as im a bit of a woss.

Im on paracetomol 1000mg 4 times a day at the minute to try and get me through doing the hourly physio. I take codiene when the paracetamol isnt taking hold. My knee is so fat and hot i am desperate to take anti - infammatories but Im not allowed as the bones need the inflammation to heal apparently. This is a new thing that is becoming quite popular with surgeons.

My PT is land based, i have been told not to wear the knee brace anymore even at night time, the trouble is my cat keeps on jumping on the bed by my knee so i havto lay a pillow over my legs to prevent her from hurting my knee. She now thinks the pillow is for her so sleeps on it preventing me from moving. I havent got the heart to move her so i just remain uncomfortable! hehe What pets do you have?

I apologise if you have mentioned this already but what was the accident that you had that has put you through all this knee misery? Was is it a dislocation? If it was how did you dislocate it?

Mel

[Heathers new knee]

Hi Mel~
Eww!!! sorry about PT, they could be a little nicer to us, huh? I've never cried but, do get very sick. Please don't feel embarassed, pain IS bad stuff. Guess that sick is par for my pain response to bad stuff. So, between the two of us, crying and vomiting doesn't get us too far other than an angry swollen and hot knee. My first PT put her body weight (approx 160 lbs) into bending my knee once. OH MY! That was the last time I went to her. So, for you and me both, they should only push it to the point that it stops and gently hold it there for a bit. Repeating that "should" bring more ROM eventually. WOW! Your ROM actually went backwards  (145 down to 125) after PT worked with you? I'm soo sorry, that isn't good. The PT who I now see after firing the other one (LOL!) is alot gentler and it just works better. Maybe just a tip...
Oh, another good tip is if the PT puts pressure in various areas on the knee while bending it. It's hard to explain the technique but, it works to help the pain, as well. When he is done stretching, he supports the knee and pulls on the ankle. AHHHH! Love it!

Just wondering the reason for no brace at night as you are non weight-bearing then. Did the PT say why? Still have free reign with mine but, the OS prefers it to be off for weight-bearing and mandating that I protect the surgical areas (mostly using one crutch) until the x-rays say "healed". How's yours coming along and did they say you need to protect it, too? Do the screws hurt?

Hey! Interesting that your OS has banned the NSAIDS for you, too. Yes, the inflammatory response IS part of healing and the meds "can" delay it. Usually why we're jus told to ice, ice and more ice. After my kneecap fracture healed, I was allowed to take Motrin but, it doesn't agree with my gut. Tried a few different ones and still no good. Just as well anyhow, they didn't help the pain or swelling at all. Surely do hope yours help so, you can get through PT and stuff. Right now, I have percocet for PT and vicodin for breakthrough pain at home. Nothing is 100% effective. Do you find that, too?

Oh, my auto accident...yes, I shattered my kneecap into 20 or so fragments. That kind of forceful blow into the dashboard will also accompany major soft tissue damage and stuff. The kneecap also slammed into the trochlear groove (femur) and tore up that cartilage. It was a train wreck in there. Other than the displaced fracture, fortunately it's never dislocated but, it would maltrack out of the groove all day long. You're right, coping with it has been hard but, I've never given up. Have learned to live with my knee on a timer with pain, sit down when it screams at me, and try to adjust what I need to do in small segments. The PFJR is GREAT though. LOVE it! Atleast pain behind the kneecap is history now. YAY! 

So, how did you end up repeated dislocations? Did you injure your knee, too? Gosh, that sounds VERY painful. I'd be afraid it would happen at the least expected times and you'd fall or something. Hope this is a good fix for it! Did you have any other procedures to help the stability at the same time? My OS did a LR and medial repair to help the tracking problem. Do you have any wear/tear in the PF compartment from dislocations? Hope not!!

Sorry to have written a book on your thread, ha-ha! One more thing, please. Your cat sounds like a total trip! Ya gotta love 'em! Glad yours sounds to be a cuddly kitty, too. Mine's a bed hog and follows me around all day. Her name is Chloe. We also have 2 pomeranians, 1 Siberian husky, a slew of barn cats, and had 5 horses which we sadly sold shortly after my accident. Critter city, aye? Love 'em! Hope June will bring you back to caring for these lovely creatures. Don't know what I'd do without them.

Take 'er easy ok. Are you still icing up alot? We're in the same post-PT boat today. My whole leg is so tired, think it's ready to fall off LOL!  Hope it feels better soon!!

Heather 

[lmel16]

Hi Heather

Im not sure if ive got my measurements right but the change from 145 degrees to 125 degrees was good, i wasnt sure if i had it right to be honest so did keep checking. I need to have 90 degrees to drive. I think after doing physio every hour today i have managed to gain maybe another 10 degrees so i shall find out tomorrow at my next physio session.  Hopefully i wont cry again. hehe

I think the brace has been advised not to be worn at all even at night is that my knee is very swollen and the brace was just squeezing the knee and making things worse. I am careful at night and generally every time i move i wake up. I think it is probabaly the swelling but my knee feels alot more stable which is great. The screws dont hurt and i can touch them, i get alot of strange feelings around that area especially when im walking but im hoping that it will gradually go. I also havent had any x-rays at all the surgeon seems pretty confident that it has all held and so do the PT's.

Your injury sounds horrific, that must have been so painful!!! Have you been able to get into a car since?

I just had a congenital disease in my knee caps which has caused them to grow too lateral in the joint and therefore it wouldnt take much to dislocate them. I managed to slightly hide the problem by playing lots of netball and going to the gym which therefore built up my muscles to support the knee. But there was always a problem there and my kneecap in the right knee finally gave up when my dog and i collided when out on a walk in february and that was that! . thankfully I didnt need a lateral release as the muscle/ ligament was lax enough.

Ive got one of these koldblue wraps they are fantastic. Its a bandage that you put in the fridge and due to the gel it has on it you can wear it as a bandage and it keeps your knee cold for upto 8 hours. It adheres to itself so you can walk about the house with it. Its fantastic.

take care
Mel

p.s my cat (issy) has fallen asleep on my legs again!

[alien3starr]

My TTT's were very successful. I had my first on my right leg four years ago and the second one on my left was done three years ago. I haven't had a single dislocation since then. Before the surgeries, I had dislocations once a month in both legs for 10 years. Now, I can go on 5-10 mile bike rides (which I have never been able to do in my life), go camping, kayaking, and work in a restaurant as a waitress. All these activities would have been impossible without the TTT surgeries. I still have knee arthritis, but no dislocations, so overall I am very pleased with my surgeries. I am a different person now. Recovering is very difficult, but well worth it! Anyone with knee dislocations should get this surgery. It has really changed my life for the better. Good luck!