Total knee replacement surgery?

With any surgery you should expect some discomfort or pain. My father just recently had a TKR done on his right knee. For the first day after surgery you are pretty doped up, but they start to take away pain meds on day two and have you up in the hospital doing rehab on the second or third day. I took care of him for about a month strait. This is not normal my dad just has a lot of other health problems. You will have to go to physical therapy and that is the single most important thing you can do for a TKR. It takes about 6 months to a year to really adjust to having a prosthetic part implanted inside of you. The actual surgery is pretty rough though. they make a big incision on your leg, pull the muscles away from the bone, saw and cut torn bone, sand it down, and nail in the fake knee. It sounds painful but the end result is worth having it done. Im 26 and have a lot of knee problems, I have had three surgeries on my right knee already, and the only thing doctors can do to make my knee problems better is a TKR but they will not do one because of my age. But as soon as I can have one done I will. Hope that helps.

A total knee replacement generally requires between one and a half to three hours of operative time. After surgery, patients are taken to a recovery room, where vital organs are frequently monitored. When stabilized, patients are returned to their hospital room.

Passage of urine can be difficult in the immediate postoperative period, and this condition can be aggravated by pain medications. A catheter inserted into the urethra (a Foley catheter) allows free passage of urine until the patient becomes more mobile.

Physical therapy is an extremely important part of rehabilitation and requires full participation by the patient for optimal outcome. Patients can begin physical therapy 48 hours after surgery. Some degree of pain, discomfort, and stiffness can be expected during the early days of physical therapy. Knee immobilizers are used in order to stabilize the knee while undergoing physical therapy, walking, and sleeping. They may be removed under the guidance of the therapist for various portions of physical therapy.

A unique device that can help speed recovery is the continuous passive motion (CPM) machine. The CPM machine is first attached to the operated leg. The machine then constantly moves the knee through various degrees of range of motion for hours while the patient relaxes.

Patients will start walking using a walker and crutches. Eventually, patients will learn to walk up and down stairs and grades. A number of home exercises are given to strengthen thigh and calf muscles.

It is important for patients to continue in an outpatient physical-therapy program along with home exercises for optimal outcome of total knee replacement surgery. Patients will be asked to continue exercising the muscles around the replaced joint to prevent scarring (contracture) and maintain muscle strength for the purposes of joint stability.

Had my knee performed five weeks in the past. Spent a million week in rehab middle, then 3weeks with in dwelling PT. Now I'm being advised to visit an external PT middle for ????? lengthy. Pain stage is as little as three in the course of the day (a few-days) and as prime as 7-eight on such a lot nights, Still on medicinal drugs (many) Hard to get out and in of truck. Do I fairly must pass to extra PT or simply preserve w/ what I've been exhibit to do???