Total Knee Replacement
|
I am a 45 year old Female, who has had a total knee replacement. Mine has not gone well at all. This site is to help me as well as others, who may have the same problems. My surgery was done June 6, 1997. Everything seem to be fine. I went thru Physical Therapy, and was walking without as much as a cane. Then I went back to work for 2 weeks, and that is when my problems started. I had to stand,walk, and bend daily, for 7 to 10 hours. I also had to go up and down steps several times a day. I would get tired, and start having pain and problems walking, so I also had my cane with me. Then after a check up, the doctors pulled me out of work again. They thought I might be trying to develop a very slight infection in the knee. After 2 months, I was advised to give up my job, since I probably would not be able to stand for so long. I did quit my job, but it was for the benefit of the company I worked for. They needed someone to do my job, and I could not. There was no need in them holding out, hoping that I would be returning soon. That was 6 months ago, and I still can not walk, so I know I did the right thing. I want you to understand that I am not blaming any Doctors, and I am not saying anything against this surgery. If it had not been for my Doctor doing the knee replacement, I would probably be in a wheele chair by now.
My Doctors are trrying everything they can to find out why my recovery has been so slow. I feel that my own body is part of the reason.
I think that I am having an allergic reaction to the knee. I have done so before, when wires were placed in my toes.
Right now my Doctors are running all sorts of test and lab work. As soon as I find out anything, I will update the information.
On the following pages, I will have as much information and pictures as I can find.
For some reason, some of my information is lost in cyber space. I will try to recover it, but I am not holding my breath.
I do remember being sent to several doctors, and none could find out what was wrong. Then, I was finally sent to a doctor at Emory. This is a MAJOR teaching Hospital in the South East. This doctor told me I might have RSD,(Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy). He wanted me to take a "cold stress test" to rule it out. But instead of ruling out RSD, the test came up that I possiblely had it in both legs. Not just the right leg, where I had the knee replaced.
Since then I have had several Lumbar Synpathetic Blocks. These blocks consists of a needle being put in my back, near the spine. Then I am injected with medication to help ease the pain. I can not remember how the first blocks did as far as easing the pain, but not all of my information was deleted, and you will find it on the following pages.
Knee Replacement Surgery
Information only
During total knee replacement surgery, a diseased or damaged knee joint is replaced with an artificial joint (called a prosthesis). To understand the surgery, it's important to know how the knee works: A knee joint moves backward and forward, much like a hinge. It joins the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (lower leg bone). The patella (kneecap) covers the knee joint. All parts of the joint are covered with cartilage to provide a cushion and enable the bones to move easily. During surgery, one or all three of the knee's working parts will be replaced. The cartilage covering the thigh section of the joint is replaced with metal parts. The cushioning and lubricating sections of the lower joint section are replaced with a metal tray lined in plastic. The cartilage under the kneecap is replaced with a plastic cap. With smooth-working parts, the joint can again function much like a natural knee. For most patients, it will also ease the pain experienced before surgery.
St. Luke's Health Watch
Home /
About Us/
Wolf Dogs /
Shepherds /
Wolves /
Pictures
Classic Car/
Total Knee/
Information/
Knee 3/
Update/
Poems/
Native American/
Awards/
Links/
Email /
Sign Guestbook /
View Guestbook /