Minimally invasive knee replacement

[lilly_kc]

Demi - it sounds like both of you are on a good path - probably been helping each other out alot, huh ?

The physical therapist told me that some folks just hit the road running with little or no work - go figure!

I feel great, no knee pain except little twinge going DOWN steps. Released from PT yesterday, would like 10 more degrees flexion and they think it will come. Being very good about exercising at home, have also jazzercised couple times. Also never used walker or anything, so that was a blessing.

Will have other knee replaced on march 1st, but have to have a vena filter put in day prior due to possible embolism first time around. Also on coumadin for that reason. My tummy got better too, so maybe it was a bug!

Stay in touch - have a good 2007!(can you even believe it ?)  Kathi

[DemiWV]

Thanks, Kathi!
I am glad your stomach pain, too, is gone.  When did you have your surgery?   I also have some discomfort going down stairs even with my anti-inflammatory.   A nurse told me that that is normal for maybe up to a year.  Doc told me that it might take a year for all discomfort to go, so I don't feel bad.  My hubby hits the ground running, and am I glad!

Have a wonderful 2007!  Yes, it came so quickly; can't believe it!

Regards,
Demi

[hollie9]

I had quad sparing MIS TKR 17 days ago.  I spent less than 24 hours in hospital and walked out and have been walking unaided ever since.

I went to Dr. Coon in Red Bluff, CA.  People fly in from all over the country to see him and he teaches in Europe.

I'm icing, no CPM, doing simple PT exercises.  I had 120 degrees flexion at two weeks.

It was painful, especially at first, lots of Percocet.

The scar is beautiful, you can barely see it.

Hollie

[vholiver1]

I had bilateral minimally invasive total knee replacements. I did well, but there was no way I could have gone home from the hospital the same day. I also had a lot of reconstruction on my legs (knock kneed all my life) so that may have been a complicating factor, dunno. I spent two weeks in the SNF (longer than usually because I fell down a few stairs.)

Some issues, not no biggies. My surgeon said on my first post-op appointment "you're an A+, and you don't even know it yet." (he's very modest - when he looked at my hip first time after surgery, he kept saying "that's a beautiful scar" so many times, I finally said to him that it was really nice to see someone who appreciated his work.

But he's a good surgeon, and I don't care if he has an ego. He's one of the best in the country, and he knows he's good. And I'm really glad to see that attitude in the OR.

[Roy Gardiner]

Hi everyone, 1st post...

I am doing my research prior to the (almost certain) replacement of both my knees.

What is the status of MIS in UK?  Names of hospitals and surgeons would of course be most useful.

I live just outside London in Essex.

Thanks, 
Roy Gardiner

[captainruss]

Any of you who have had the minimally invasive total knee in the U.S. and are happy, who was your surgeon?  Where did you have it?

I am not looking forward to any more surgery, but cannot live with my current situation.

The interference with my gait due to the knee and a lack of ROM is causing major hip and lower back pain.  I slipped on the kitchen floor (slippery) three weeks ago at 4 a.m. and thought I was going to die.  I actually crawled to my bed and waited for an ambulance.  I have herniated a disc, but unless I want another spinal fusion, I am just going to suffer.

Any info would be appreciated.

Any one have complications with the MIS knee?  AF or HO??

Russ

[captainruss]

I guess no one in the US has had the minimally invasive TKR??

The posted video is from 2004 and yet after 8 TKR's and 3 OS, I had never heard of this type of procedure.

Is it only being done in the UK?

Russ

[HerbM]

[This thread is sort of dead but it would be niced to see these forums really active so....]

On Tue, Oct 21st 2014, my BTKR is scheduled in Austin, TX with David Dodgin doing the surgery at St. David's on 32nd.  (Four weeks from today.)

5 weeks ago he did a (so far) PERFECT ANTERIOR THA on my right hip. 

Why do I say it was perfect: 

  * I went home same day (walked out of the hospital with only a cane)
  * Walked with only a cane (and without) within a couple of hours, including up and down a flight of steps
  * Literally 1/2 second of pain during the entire recovery (I sneezed on the third night)
  * It felt like "my hip" from the time I woke up and has felt like "my hip" at all times
  * By the 1st day post-op I worked out briefly (Combatives), walked 5/8th of a mile the next day
  * Drove by the 4th day post-op I was driving, using the gym, and out walking through a house "For Sale"
  * Went back to teaching Combatives & Self-Defense fully (about 2 hours on hard floor) at 4 weeks
  * Today (at 5 weeks), I managed to touch my head to my procedure knee firmly and hold (big deal for me since I am a BIG, TIGHT guy)

Dodgin is one of the GREAT Anterior Hip replacement guys, having been mentored by Joel Matta and taught for Matta (Matta pretty much invented the modern Anterior THR in the U.S.)

My understanding is that he is REALLY good at knees as well.  (Although there is really no way to top the THA he did.)

He'll be using PSI (Patient Specific Instruments -- i.e., jigs and guides) based on Biomet Signature MRIs.

This surgery is to be (somewhat) minimally invasive and quad sparing, but Dodgin (and I agree) that it is more important to get a "good result" and an "easy recovery" than a small incision and scar per se.

He'll only cut as much as needed to get good access but he won't try to work through an unnecessarily small key hole.  (I don't care about the scar, just a good outcome.)

[SallyW]

This sounds wonderful - perhaps its more commonly known as Quad Sparing TKR in the US? That is what I've heard it called here.

Anyway - my understanding is that it is *only* recommended for people who have never had surgery on the knee before, is that correct? Are scope procedures okay, or do they just not want you to have had something open, like an osteotomy?

At any rate, I've had several open procedures on this knee, including a Fulkerson and a cartilege grafting thing. So I suppose I've got the standard slice it open operation as my only option? (sigh)

[ETAustralia]

I hope it's okay to ask this here:
If any of you who have had a THR are inclined to help medical research and are in Australia ... I've been tasked to find individuals who've been through the experience.  You'd be talking with me by phone to look over some draft questions, proposed by the researchers for an upcoming clinical trial, and help identify where they might be unclear, ambiguous, the sequence is confusing or the format is otherwise unhelpful for the poor sods who will need this procedure and are going to have to answer them! Please message me for more info.

[DanielleT]

Just a general questions.  Had my first TKR May 2015.  Soon after was in constant pain.  Saw several specialist.  They kept saying the same thing. Physio/Ice.  However, I know my own body.  After several months it turns out the tibia was loose. Had to do a TKR Revision Aug 2017.

My question is - I am feeling the same pain and on top of that I still have no feeling below knee and toes.  What are the odds that it is the same issue.

[Vickster]

Nerve damage?