Oxford Partial Knee Replacement

[jlwilson]

Hi Guys,

This isn't an 'ask the Doc' post, I just wanted to share my recent experience. 13 days ago, I had a partial knee replacement, my 2nd actually. I had the left knee done in Dec '07 and had the right one done May 21. I don't know if all my years in marching bands caused my problems or if it was more likely just good old heredity, but I had osteoarthritis of the medial compartments of both knees. I had quite a bit of pain with walking for probably 3+ years. Flying actually seemed to help - rudder work must be a good non-weight-bearing exercise! Anyhow, I put the surgery off for as long as I could and then weighed my options for timing. The May 21 date gave me 5 weeks before we fly to Africa to spend 4 weeks out of the country. I figured that I'd lose less flying time this way :smile: ( some things are really important).

I realize that this being the second surgery and me being highly motivated are big factors, but I just got my staples out this morning and I've been off crutches for 5 days now. My Doc even released me to drive, while reminding me that yes I am still healing and to be careful .

Orthopedic surgery is a pretty big deal, but I just wanted to give any encouragement to anyone out there who may be putting off something like knee replacement. The new surgical techniques are really amazing. I know it's not for everyone, but I'm the most pain-free that I've been in 3+ years.

Just my 2 cents.

Joyce

 

[EppyGA]

My wife needs a partial replacement. She is putting it off until later because of our current schedule through the summer. Seems like we have something going on every couple of weeks that wouldn't leave her time to get started healing.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

I'm the most pain-free that I've been in 3+ years.

And that's a good thing.

 

[tonycondon]

My grandma has had both of her knees replaced in the last 5 or 6 years and is very happy that she did. She had issues on the first surgery thanks to a bad reaction morphine and spent an extra week in the hospital. After a week of not really moving her new knee it only took a few PT sessions to get to where she needed to be. she liked it so much she had the other one done a few years later. she went legally blind back in the late 80's so she does a lot of walking which probably wore out her knees.

 

[gkainz]

Glad to hear about your success, Joyce! My mother in law had both knees done within the last 3 years and is very glad she did.

I have a friend who's not yet 50, had a knee replacement a few years ago just before retiring from the Navy. The docs kept trying everything they could before replacement, claiming "you're not old enough" and "these only last so long, you can only have it done twice and then you're in a wheelchair". He finally convinced them with the argument that he wasn't going to hobble around in chronic pain for years until they thought he was old enough. Besides, technology continues to improve, and so should the knee if he needs another one down the road. In a wheelchair at 80 is way better than chronic pain at 45.

 

[jlwilson]

Glad to hear about your success, Joyce! My mother in law had both knees done within the last 3 years and is very glad she did.

I have a friend who's not yet 50, had a knee replacement a few years ago just before retiring from the Navy. The docs kept trying everything they could before replacement, claiming "you're not old enough" and "these only last so long, you can only have it done twice and then you're in a wheelchair". He finally convinced them with the argument that he wasn't going to hobble around in chronic pain for years until they thought he was old enough. Besides, technology continues to improve, and so should the knee if he needs another one down the road. In a wheelchair at 80 is way better than chronic pain at 45.

Thanks! I did the whole route of the microfracture and the Synvisc injections (twice) and even wore the unloader brace for a while and still was just really hurting.

I just turned 48 so I guess I'm not in the youngest group, but at least maybe toward that side. I really wish i had done this earlier. At least with the partials, I'll hopefully live long enough to need the revision to the total . The new surgical techniques keep the incisions smaller and the recovery time shorter. I just wanted to share my experience in case there was someone out there in the same situation wondering how it really works.

 

[Ghery]

I'm really glad to hear that knee replacement worked so well for you. My wife is looking at having to do that eventually and she'll be happy to hear of success stories like these.

 

[AdamZ]

Interesting Thread. my brother will need a Knee replacement. He is a big skier and like Spinning He still skis a lot but not spining he also loves the outdoors and hikes quite a bit. Just had his ACL replaced as well.

He is doing the Synvsc and it is giving him some relief. He is putting off the replacement b/c he is only43 or 44 and has been told that if he does it now he will need it to be done again in a number of years as the replacements only last for so long. I suspect as time goes on they will develope better and better replacements that last longer.

If I can ask how long did they tell you yours would last Joyce?

 

[jlwilson]

I was told 15 to 20 or possibly more. I just turned 48 and had my first one done at 46. I think that part of the key is to find the best surgeon you possibly can, especially if you are on the younger side. As an interesting side note, I actually had help from the prosthesis company (Biomet) in finding my surgeon. I just asked questions like: who has done the most procedures and who seems to have had the least complications. The customer service people at Biomet even helped me get the original appointment.

Another thing that sold me on this Oxford knee is the sliding meniscal spacer that they use. If it wears out, its a simple replacement, so I may get even more years out of it.

For those who aren't squeemish, here's a picture (this is at my followup appt, 13 days after surgery and they hadn't taken the staples out yet)

I'm 16 days post-op now and have been off crutches for a week and was released to drive (surgery was right knee). I'm thinking I'll try to fly week after next. I'll take a proficient pilot with me just in case, and just do some traffic pattern work.

I'm still healing so I still have some pain, but nothing compared to what I had before. It's just no fun to have to quit doing things you like to. I wish that I hadn't put it off as long as I did.