topic Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question in Community Chat

Post Op Knee replacement complication question

Goodie2shoes — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 21:49:09 GMT

My right knee replacement was 9/30/19. I had a complication with swelling and excessive pain in November but that resolved just fine. Now I have a new problem that started in May. I started having a small area of swelling at the bottom of the suture line that overnight swelled to a huge blister and started draining. I went to the surgeon who ordered bloodwork and he aspirated fluid from the knee and put me on antibiotics and it cleared up. The bloodwork came back neg for any problem with the replacement hardware. I followed up with the doctor, everything was fine then within 2 days the blister returned and started draining again so I called the doctor, told to ice it over last weekend, had more bloodwork but he can't figure out what's going on. He is not ordering more antibiotics but says I should just use antibiotic ointment, keep it covered and let him know how it looks next week. It's a little painful but I'm not taking any pain meds. So I am just wondering if anyone else has had this type of problem this far post surgery. I don't have any pain in the knee itself and they used glue to close the surgery wound and I didn't have any complications with my left knee replacement 5 years ago. Just wondering if anyone can relate and what was your outcome, thanks

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

Mindy D — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 21:53:19 GMT

Ask for more bloodwork to check for infection again. Be persistent.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

hckynut — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 22:02:42 GMT

@Goodie2shoes

Have you considered a 2nd opinion? My wife had her right knee done at the end of October. She had to go back to have it "manipulated"(same anesthesia) because of the lack degree of bend.

Other than that, and me kicking her in the butt to do her exercises, she is ok. Not my ok, but hers. Nothing however like you are experiencing with your knee.

hckynut 🏒

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

ninjawife — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 22:02:57 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
Ask for more bloodwork to check for infection again. Be persistent.

I agree. My father had a knee replacement that got infected shortly after surgery. He had major complications becasue the surgeon did not think there was any problem even though my father's incision was red and painful to the touch. The incision ended up rupturing and he had to have the knee replacement removed. That was only the start of his complications. He had 10 follow up surgeries with a second replacement failing and ended up having to have his knee fused. He was in pain the rest of his life.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

Goodie2shoes — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 22:04:31 GMT

@Mindy D wrote :Ask for more bloodwork to check for infection again. Be persistent.

He did a second sed rate but said it didn't show increased inflammation. I will give it a few more days, it's a bit smaller in size now but that's what happened after the first episode. Thanks

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

SXMGirl — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 22:05:43 GMT

@ You know your body better than anyone. Insist that the doctor check everything out and possibly give you more or different antibiotics, or get a second opinion (I know that is not a welcome thought right now).

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

Goodie2shoes — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 22:09:57 GMT

@hckynut wrote:

Have you considered a 2nd opinion? My wife had her right knee done at the end of October. She had to go back to have it "manipulated"(same anesthesia) because of the lack degree of bend.

Other than that, and me kicking her in the butt to do her exercises, she is ok. Not my ok, but hers. Nothing however like you are experiencing with your knee.

I really like my doctor, he did my left knee replacement, no issues. I will however certainly keep that in mind if this does not resolve itself. Thanks

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

Susan in California — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 22:53:35 GMT

@Goodie2shoes

I have had knee replacement and did not have any issues, but I have known people who have.

A suggestion:

A doctor once told me many years ago that getting a second opinion is always smart. She said if

a doctor feels slighted by another opinion, then

you might want to change doctors.

I always remembered that.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

shoesnbags — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 00:17:55 GMT

@Goodie2shoes

My knee replacement is 13 years old and I still take NO chances with any risk of infection. If it were me, I'd ask to have a sample of the drainage cultured to find out what if anything is infecting your knee. Taking a wait and see approach would not work for me. Too much at stake, as you can see from some of the previous posts.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

RetRN — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 00:24:24 GMT

Follow the Dr.'s instructions and follow-up with him next week. I see no reason for a second opinion at this time. It sounds like it is improving.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

rockyrose — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 00:26:23 GMT

I wouldn't waste any time getting a second opinion. What you're experiencing sounds highly irregular.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

RedTop — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 01:13:28 GMT

@Goodie2shoes

INSIST that this wound be cultured! If the wound appearance and drainage responded to oral antibiotic treatment, it sounds like this is an infection. Staph, MRSA, C-diff? A culture will determine what this is. I don’t like this doctors approach!

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

Sammycat1 — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 04:32:05 GMT

I have had both knee replacements and each time my doctor explicitly said what to report and what would be done with if problems arose. Blood test AND culture of fluid are standard operating procedures with him.

The only minor complication(s) I had were some minor, clear drainage that he checked and at 3 months after surgery, I fell out of an office chair straight on the knee. Hurt like heck at the moment but all was solid.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

Goodie2shoes — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 13:43:33 GMT

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm going to keep a sterile dressing over the area and follow up with the MD next week. I will send him a picture of the area and see what he says. I actually found antibacterial non stick pads that says it kills bacteria like Staph and MRSA (didn't know they existed) and they are absorbant, won't stick to the wound. I will certainly pursue a wound culture if this does not completely clear up soon.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

Patlv — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 18:45:30 GMT

I am sorry to hear that you are having problems with your knee. Perhaps you should consider making an appointment with an Infectous Disease doctor and he may want to swab it for a culture. He will also know if you should be on antibiotics and the right brand to start you off with.

Wishing you all the best....

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

RedTop — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 20:24:05 GMT

Antibiotic ointments generate heat on a wound if covered with a bandaid or plastic coated bandage, and create more problems. Covering with a 4x4 gauze pad or rolled gauze with paper tape, is a better option.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

shoekitty — Sat, 06 Jun 2020 03:11:18 GMT

Maybe cellulitis or fragment in there. , be persistent. If he can't figure it out, refer to someone who has a fresh eye. Sounds like there is a little part inside that can't clear up. He could have a splinter in there...of bone, metal, etc ...a fragment that keeps flaring up.

years ago my husband was in an accident. One of the recurring problems he had was a little infection, and slight drainage in a spot between the knee and ankle. He had had an abrasion during the accident. It was scrubbed and cleaned. It would be fine, scab over go away then drain, a little thick white pus, not a lot, but a little. He also has slight pain, not like huge just a little, it was a little sore. He did round of antibiotics , then it would be ok. Long story short. It was on and off for 6 months. They couldn't be sure, xrays..negative, staph, negative Doctor decdeid to have my husband go into surgery to clean it out. They found teeny weeny microscopic bone fragment. The body wanted to get it out, so pus formed around it. Not one X-ray showed the fragment this is before MRI or fancy xrays.

Re: Post Op Knee replacement complication question

Goodie2shoes — Sat, 06 Jun 2020 17:45:47 GMT

@shoekitty wrote:

Sounds a bit like what I am dealing with, clear yellowish drainage and thick white pus. Not rying to gross anyone out, but the symptoms are similar. Thanks for your information