Partial Knee Replacement

[Onomea]

In the hospital today after yesterdays partial knee (Oxford) replacment. It’s a pretty cool little device, made of cobalt chrome and some sorta tough plastic.

Short CGI animation of how it works: [ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3tc8zq7SV6I[/ame]

Not enjoying the recovery and rehab, of course, but from reading here and elsewhere I understand that doing one’s rehab exercises is crucial to the success of the op.

So I am gonna do ‘em, by gum!

Anybody else out there had a partial? Supposed to be quicker recovery and less painful than a full knee replacement for those who only have one part, typically the inside part (medial), of the knee ruined. I understand more common in Japan and Europe than in the US. (I am in Japan now.)

Had some sort of spinal block for anesthetic. While the op was painless, pretty weird being conscious and listening to the carpentry work being done down below. Fortunately, was tented off from me. Took a bit over two hours.

Drilling, sawing, chisling, hammering.... The doc let me listen to my tunes on my phone with earbuds during the op, and gave me some sort of anti-anxiety drug, both of which helped a lot...

 

[gman51]

Oh no....totally knock me out.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Arlo, I'm glad all went well and have no doubt that you will be break dancing in no time. You seem like a "stick-to-it" kinda guy.

 

[Onomea]

Oh no....totally knock me out.

That was my first idea, too, but the surgeon explained to me that the spinal block thing was better in the sense that pain would be less the second day than with general anesthesia. Apparently, the effect lingers. (I guess so. It hurts, but not too bad today.)

So, I went with it.

I have had general anesthesia maybe four times in the past six years. In the moment, anyway, it’s great stuff, no doubt.

 

[Genetically Swiss]

Interesting surgery. I had the full meal deal, total knee replacement, like I’m sure many here have had. Mine was 5 years ago when I was age 55. Good luck on your recovery, and do all your physical therapy!

GS

 

[ancient-one]

Best of luck on your recovery. They can do some wonderful things to make one last longer.

 

[tlawler]

I had bi-lateral partial replacements almost five years ago(mine were also Oxfords). The wife and kids were driving me crazy at home, so I sucked it up and went back to work in just over a week. I was up walking the halls in the hospital the night of the surgery and had to prove I could climb a ladder in order for the doc to clear me for work(that was around day 6). I was never really in pain, I would describe it more of discomfort if I stayed immobile too long. That’s why I was up and about so much in the first few days, because walking gave me relief from the discomfort. Best thing you can do is a lot of flexing and walking. If you allow scar tissue to build up around the replacement, you will never get the range of movement you want out of your knee. It was probably close to a year before I felt “normal”, but I pushed pretty hard and now I forget they’re even there. Low impact exercise is your friend. Bicycling and elliptical machines are the best. I even bought a recumbent exercycle to get started on and within two weeks, I was riding my bike again. Back to diving by three weeks; pushing a big set of fins was great therapy. Best of luck to you. It was a good decision on my part and I’m glad I let the doc talk me into it before I needed fulls.

 

[Onomea]

That’s really impressive, Tlawler. Maybe you were in great shape to start?

My doc and staff here don’t want me walking without a walker today. I have stood, briefly, with the walker in the doc’s presence, but am not supposed to attempt standing by myself yet. Rehab guy is coming in a few hours to work me out, and see if I can make it to the bathroom with the walker...

Plan is to keep me here five days — Japan hospital stays are longer than ours — and release me on Saturday if all is well.

But it is great to hear of your success. Reassuring. Thanks!

 

[tlawler]

That’s really impressive, Tlawler. Maybe you were in great shape to start?

My doc and staff here don’t want me walking without a walker today. I have stood, briefly, with the walker in the doc’s presence, but am not supposed to attempt standing by myself yet. Rehab guy is coming in a few hours to work me out, and see if I can make it to the bathroom with the walker...

Plan is to keep me here five days — Japan hospital stays are longer than ours — and release me in Saturday if all is well.

But it is great to hear of your success. Reassuring. Thanks!

I was 51 and in pretty good shape, but my doc made me jump through quite a few hoops before he was willing to do it. I had to see a cardiologist and do a stress test. Even then, he was reluctant to do the bilateral, but I was adamant about not wanting to go through two recovery times. At that point, he was telling me I would be out of work for at least three weeks for each one. Two main reasons were that I couldn’t afford to be out of work that long and we had met our out of pocket for the year and the only way both would be covered was to knock them both out at once, since it was in late November when I started the whole process. I decided I hated walkers as soon as I tried one. I remember that night in the hospital, the nurses wouldn’t let me walk without one. Since it was the middle of the night and early morning, there weren’t many of them around and I would make a show of walking past the nurses station with it, then I’d ditch it and keep walking. When the nurses changed shifts around 0400, I took advantage of it and put my street clothes on. I don’t like hospitals and I was so ready to get out of there. I think I’d have gone crazy if I had to stay there for the five days they’re making you stay.

 

[Texas Star]

The closest I've come to anything like this is that the Canadian actor who played Dr. Summerlee on, The Lost World TV show told us on the New Line Cinema fan board about his hip replacement.
It ended well and he was in much less pain.

I hope all goes as well for you, Arlo. This board is much enhanced by your presence.

I guess your doctorate in Oriental languages lets you communicate well with the Japanese doctor.

 

[Onomea]

Thanks for the kind words, Jim. (Actually, my surgeon has spent time at the Mayo Clinic and at Oxford, and speaks pretty good English. The Japanese comes in handy for everyone else on the staff though.)

 

[lawandorder]

Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery !

 

[Jebus35745]

Good luck with recovery and do therapy well after you are released from therapy. Therapy gets to be a pain in the as but keep pushing. Been 8 months since I had both knees replaced at the same time. Slacked off just a little the last 2 months going to the rec center to work my legs with weights. I should have at least done the bending twice daily. Couldn’t walk far before surgery but can walk miles now. Wife and I walk daily weather permitting. Larry

 

[Rpg]

My father had a partial knee replacement in 1990. I don’t know what kind.

He was relentless in his rehab.

Three months after his surgery, we were camping at our favorite fishing spot in a Colorado wilderness area after a 7 mile backpacking hike: something he hadn’t been able to do for years.

He was 70 at the time.

 

[BigBoy99]

I would want to be knocked out. Don't want to hear the Doctor, saying , "OH S***"!

 

[Iggy]

I had full replacement several years ago. I realized my knee didn't have that nagging old pain as I came out of the anesthesia.. I knew right then it had been the right thing to do.


If the therapist tells you to do 10, do 11. It helps.

 

[Czechvar]

I had a Partial maybe 4-5 years ago...Same great results others have spoken of. One night in the Hospital then home. No running, but swimming and machines are fine. I still have a very little soreness once in a while, but it doesn’t affect anything I do.

The recovery was 1000% easier than a Total would have been. Used two crutches for a few days, then one crutch. Cannot remember how long I used the one crutch. Only bummer was I couldn’t get cleared to drive for a month.

Oh...And I had the spinal, and told them to knock me out cold. I never ever want to be awake for anything that involves knives and power tools.

 

[pmanton]

My wife is going through hell with her full knee replacement. She's one month out, going to therapy 3 times a week. (age 78)

I wish you all the best.

 

[M1A]

It will work like a miracle. Best wishes.
Keep it iced. I had a ice water circulating gizmo. Had both knees replaced a year apart. Everything is working great.
I was home did my exercises and all got easier after a few days.
Drugs are your friend here, but watch it. After a few days only needed to get to sleep.

 

[H Richard]

I had a partial in March. It was some different, the implant part had a groove in it and the plastic/nylon/? knob was affixed to the inside of my kneecap, which then rode in the groove. End result no pain. I had surgery at 10 AM (block) and went home at 2:30 the next afternoon, after walking down to rehab and learning the proper way to get in and out of a car and going up and down steps. Was an out-patient. This is a big difference under Medicare, as any of you own oral drugs yo need to take while in the hospital aren't covered by Medicare (or your supplemental) and of course you can't bring your own from home. I did PT for a month afterward and am doing fine. Took a River Cruise on the Danube with daily walking tours 3 months later and had no problem. My Dr told me half the total knee's done could have been solved by a partial.