Bone breaks around the knee :

tibia broken at knee joint - - Posted by jc_man (jc_man), 22 January 2005

My mother broke her right tibia at the knee joint in febuary of last year she got surgury including 9 screws or bolts and a plate put in,  in october of last year she went to get arthroscopic surgury to remove cartliage and scar tissue don t know why exactly but  the dr said it had to be done also he said he would have done a knee replacement with the first surgury but couldn t because he had to bolt it in where the screws now are it's is almost a year later and after the arthroscopic surgury she suffered a acute stroke she fears that she will never get better the dr wants to do two more surgurys  the next to remove the hardware and the following to do the knee replacement someone please help  ideas and advice would help greatly  thankyou
Posted by hkssuppie (hkssuppie), 22 January 2005

I too had a tib plat fracture requiring a plate and nine screws.  Doctor thinks that I will eventually have osteoarthritis and need a TKR.  I believe if your mother is in so much pain that she can't walk without cringing, then it is probably time for the Total Knee Replacement.  If she isn't in alot of pain, hold off and wait.  Technology is always getting better.

All the best,
Alan
Posted by jc_man (jc_man), 22 January 2005

yea but she is walkin wothout much pain but they haven t removed the hardware yet so she isn t walkin well
Posted by hkssuppie (hkssuppie), 22 January 2005

Hardware removal doesn't necessarily equate to walking correctly.  I still have my hardware in, but walk fairly normal.  That being said, if the doctor thinks that hardware removal will improve the walking, by all means.  I think most hardware removal for these types of fractures occures when the hardware is causing discomfort and pain.  My doc said it stays unless I start incurring pain that is not normal in accordance with the injury and the surgery.  I still don't know why the doctor your mother has would suggest total knee replacement if your mother is not in that much pain while walking.  You may want to get another opinion...just my thoughts.

Alan
Posted by kgrosskurth (Kathy G), 23 January 2005

Is she doing any Physical Therapy? I would recommend a PT referral. She may need a PT to help her learn how to walk correctly again. She could be compensating by using muscles she shouldn't be using because others (like quads) aren't working. If that is the case, it will affect her hip and back eventually. They can also help her strengthen her quads and help her get her Range of motion (ROM) back to near normal.

Keep us posted, and I wish her all the best in her recovery.
Posted by jc_man (jc_man), 24 January 2005

thanks for the replys, she was doing  physical theraphy but stoped a few weeks ago the, her doctor is supposedly one of the best in nyc, and she is to resume theraphy next week also she is going for a second opion this week i will keep everyone posted and again thanks for the replys

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