After 5 years since my TKR, I will finally be getting a thicker spacer.  I've had 3 Drs offer to do this previously but instead, started working out a lot; swimming, water aerobics, weight machines.  It has sufficed up until recently.  Still have some pain & instability but I wanted to wait 10 years.  In the beginning of June (actually on my birthday) I was feeling strong enough to take my antique Harley out for a spin to meet some friends for a celebration.  As I was sitting at a stop sign, my 82 year old next door neighbor ran me down in her car.  She clipped the front end of my motorcycle, which caused me to have to lay it down on the side of my replacement knee, stressing it out greatly.  It's been clicking a lot more & feels "crunchy".  It's even more loose than usual & I even broke a toe & sprained another one (2 separate incidences), when walking around the house, because I lost control of the leg & it slammed into a chair leg & a wall. 

My poor beloved bike is deemed a total loss.    I saw a surgeon on Friday & he does think it's time to replace the spacer.  I figure her insurance will be paying for everything & I should get a good chunk of $$$ for pain & suffering, which will make up for the loss of my baby & also not being able to ride at all this summer.

Hi Pufferpunk!

I had my spacer (liner) replaced about 1 1/2 years after the primary TKR.  Unfortunately for me, it didn't help for very long (I've got a post under Total Knee Revision is on for 9/11/2012).  I can tell you about my experience with the spacer exchange. The tourniquet time was about 45 minutes; the OR time about an hour.  Stayed in the hospital three nights but could have gone home after two nights.  Pain isn't as intense as the TKR but certainly strong meds are needed.  Duration of PT was a shorter but just as grueling.  Once the worse is over (about 4 weeks) you feel pretty darn good.  The liner exchange was a piece of cake compared to the TKR.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Diana

Hi Pufferpunk,

My post is in this thread, about 10 down from your post.  I only mentioned the tourniquet time to give you an idea of how quickly they can do the liner exchange, not anything important to discuss with your OS.  I'm getting more & more nervous as the surgery date is fast approaching.  I'm hoping and praying this revision will take away my pain & instability of the knee. I know I can't go on like this, so I have to go forward with the revision.

Do you have a date for the surgery?

Diana

Do you have a date for the surgery?

I'm terrified I'm gonna pick the wrong surgeon.  I have probably seen 5 surgeons already.  I was trying for the head guy at Rush, the Dr who helped invent my knee, Dr Berger.  But he won't tank any open accident cases.  It is very frustrating that nobody there will make any  suggestions to me as to who is next in line, as far as quality.  Someone in the insurance dept threw me a bone today& I'll try contacting him.