Medical disaster

[gallahadesquire]

I appear to have re-infected my knee prosthesis. This Tim I think he's threatening to take it out.

 

Any suggestions?

Other than an Above knee Amputation. It looks good on some people (Nicky Blue Eyes comes to mind), but unless it threatens my life, that puppy is staying there.

[Rudynate]

I have a friend who had a persistent melanoma on her leg. The melanoma kept jumping to new lymph nodes and she was told the situation was hopeless. But she refused to give up. At Stanford Medical Center, they tried an extremely aggressive experimental chemotherapy protocol in which the chemotherapy agent was infused into the leg and the venous circulation from the leg was more or less completely cut off with very tight tourniquets. They left the tourniquets in place until they had to loosen them in order to avoid tissue damage. Then they started over. This went on for weeks and weeks. It worked. She's alive and well and tumor-free.

 

Maybe they could use a similar approach to treating a bacterial infection with antibiotics.

[gallahadesquire]

Very interesting. Must ask

[Rudynate]

Very interesting. Must ask

 

The more I think about it, I believe arterial circulation was also cut off by the tourniquets.

[kewtex]

I appear to have re-infected my knee prosthesis. This Tim I think he's threatening to take it out.

 

Any suggestions?

Other than an Above knee Amputation. It looks good on some people (Nicky Blue Eyes comes to mind), but unless it threatens my life, that puppy is staying there.

 

You're intelligent enough to know you have a chance of losing your leg if you do not eradicate the infection. At a minimum, get a second opinion from another orthopod or infectious disease specialist, then make an informed decision about a treatment plan. Please keep an open mind about the possibility of removing and replacing the hardware.

[escortrod]

I appear to have re-infected my knee prosthesis. This Tim I think he's threatening to take it out.

 

Any suggestions?

Other than an Above knee Amputation. It looks good on some people (Nicky Blue Eyes comes to mind), but unless it threatens my life, that puppy is staying there.

I know two people who have had knee protheses removed due to infection. In both cases they received treatment for the infection, and then had new replacements inserted. In both cases the new items took fine. It was something of an ordeal, but ultimately worthwhile.

[Bearofdistinction]

You're intelligent enough to know you have a chance of losing your leg if you do not eradicate the infection. At a minimum, get a second opinion from another orthopod or infectious disease specialist, then make an informed decision about a treatment plan. Please keep an open mind about the possibility of removing and replacing the hardware.

 

Steady Friend --- FIRST = Do No Harm - try and get rid of the infection

SECOND = Evaluate all options

THIRD = Get a 2nd opinion/write down and ask lots of questions/record answers

FOURTH = Do your own research on options and outcomes/ask more questions

FIVE = Make the decision

 

BEST! = Fraternally yours -

A Fellow member of the Brotherhood of the Titanium Replacement Parts

[+ Eric Hassan]

I appear to have re-infected my knee prosthesis. This Tim I think he's threatening to take it out.

 

Any suggestions?

Other than an Above knee Amputation. It looks good on some people (Nicky Blue Eyes comes to mind), but unless it threatens my life, that puppy is staying there.

 

I would ask if it's possible to have an antibiotic spacer placed, and then have the knee revised afterwards. In my previous life as an occupational therapist, I saw some reinfections where they took this approach. Of course, I'm not your doctor and can't tell whether or not it would be an effective intervention, but it's certainly worth asking about, I think.

[+ Funguy]

This is exactly why, when i had my spinal fusion 22 years ago, I declined the titanium plate and went for the bone graft instead.

 

The joint is a closed place and you MUST get the infection treated and the foreign parts out. Sounds awful but worse if you don't act vigorously.

[+ bashful]

I would hope they would do all possible to avoid amputation. Hoping for the best of outcomes for you.

[Larstrup]

I appear to have re-infected my knee prosthesis. This Tim I think he's threatening to take it out.

 

Any suggestions?

Other than an Above knee Amputation. It looks good on some people (Nicky Blue Eyes comes to mind), but unless it threatens my life, that puppy is staying there.

 

The medical protocol for infection of a prothesis, whether it be knee or THR, is removal of said prothesis, IV antibiotics for six weeks at home, then revision surgery. Not sure about you particular case, but the man-made material of your new joint is resistant to antibiotics, hence the removal, then IV home therapy, and then revision surgery.

 

Have you had a needle asperation of your new joint fluid?

[marylander1940]

I appear to have re-infected my knee prosthesis. This Tim I think he's threatening to take it out.

 

Any suggestions?

Other than an Above knee Amputation. It looks good on some people (Nicky Blue Eyes comes to mind), but unless it threatens my life, that puppy is staying there.

 

First of all, we're all sorry to hear that!

 

I would suggest your Doctor recommends you antibiotics and see if they have any effect before doing anything more drastic. Unfortunately in our country procedures matter more than results, yet in this case you'll need to try everything before a new prothesis or an amputation.

 

Here in Walter Reed they keep coming up with new ways to treat things like this, one of few good legacies of the Iraq war.

[OneFinger]

... IV antibiotics for six weeks at home....

 

Just finished my 6-week at home therapy. It was a pain in the ass!! 4 vials every 8 hours (12 vials per day). But, my infection rate went from a 40 (when released from the hospital) to 0.7 when therapy completed. Personally, I'd do this again in a heart beat if it kept me out of surgery. And, my infectious disease doc confirmed that there's no real difference between the 6-week therapy and the 12-week. Please, try the IV therapy before doing something more drastic.

[+ FreshFluff]

Gallahad, I don't have advice but I'd definitely bit the bullet and take action sooner rather than later. I hope you and your doc find a way to get rid of that infection.

[Rudynate]

This is exactly why, when i had my spinal fusion 22 years ago, I declined the titanium plate and went for the bone graft instead.

 

The joint is a closed place and you MUST get the infection treated and the foreign parts out. Sounds awful but worse if you don't act vigorously.

 

I have titanium hardware in my spine. It's never been a problem, but people occasionally need it removed because of infection.

[BabyBoomer]

@gallahadesquire

 

Welcome back! What happened during your hospitalization?

 

~Boomer ~

[BasketBaller]

I'm sorry you'e had to deal with this! I hope the outcome is a good one.