Use of tourniquet during knee replacement surgery? (and recovery update)

I guess it makes sense that they would use one to minimize blood loss.  I just wish they and warned me that there would be so much pain from the muscles.

Lora

Lora, sounds like you are progressing nicely.  I bet Gus missed you like crazy!  Allison

Not only did my surgeon use one....I became *aware* of it and watched him close and staple my knee up!!!! Yikes!!!! My back hurt worse than anything else directly after surgery.  I begged for anything to take the pain away. I need my other knee done but I am holding off in hopes of getting my muscles in much better condition this time around! Speedy recovery to you, Lora!!!

Eww, ick!!  I don't have any external staples or stitches (not sure what is inside, though)... The incision is glued with a big piece of that thin, sticky, plastic over it until my 2-week checkup next Monday.

Lora

I think, when I was super-morbidly-obese, the worst impact of surgery wasn't the surgical site, but instead it was the way they distorted and contorted my body while I was out of it. When I had emergency Gallbladder surgery in 2001, I remember that the tension in one of my arms hurt more than any other part of me. I figured that when they moved me, while I was out of it, they stressed my arm out. I can imagine how a tourniquet feels. I hate getting my blood drawn, as the pain of the tourniIquet far outweighs the pain of the blood-letting. I can imagine it is worse with the leg!

 wanted to share a funny anecdote -- you mentioned you didn't know what was "inside" ... Since I had the lumpectomy in my breast, they left metallic markers to show the surgical sight so that I wouldn't be flagged for furthe MRIs and special care from Mammograms. What I found in my recent world travels is that the new "detail-screening" x-ray machines at the airports have made my travel a lot harder. I'd vote for full detail again if it was possible. Every time I go through I have someone from TSA checking my breasts, and all around my abdomen and my pubic area because I have surgical staples or whatever inthose locations. So I get a free-feelie every time I go through the ex-ray machine, even if I wear a simple cotton dress with nothing but cotton undies, I get flagged.

I have to laugh about Gus. Not because of your pain, but because a VERY similar thing happened to me. When I had my DS, it was done open, and the day I came home my Aussie, Sydney, was about to tear the bathroom door down to see me. I got settled in the recliner and told them to let her out.

Of course, she made right for me, ducking and weaving as only a herding dog can do, avoiding all the hands trying to slow her down. About 10 feet from me, she launched herself at my lap. I cringed, thinking "Boy, is THIS gonna hurt!"

My sweet baby landed light as a feather!

Of course, Gus is a baby and Sydney was a mature lady of 11.

Cute story!  Gus is more wound up here at my mom's because of her dog, but he and I spent the afternoon at home yesterday and he was his usual energy level (he gets wound up to play, but has never been a jumper) so I think he will be less of a risk in that area when I go home for good on Friday or Saurday.

Lora

I had both replaced (2009 and 2010) and they used a tourniquet on the thigh each time. I had 20-some staples in ea*****ision...boy those were scary to look at! Keep up on the pain meds! I know it hurts like the devil, but I promise it gets so much better after the first two weeks which I thought were the darkest! Take care.

I am SO glad I don't have staples!  He used glue and then covered it with the clear sticky 8x8 square of whatever that plastic wrap stuff is.  The surgeon will remove the plastic on Monday.

He gave me a limited number of the Oxycodone, so I dropped down to one at a time out of necessity.  I have been adding in half a Vicodin in between doses as necessary for additional relief.  Glad to hear reassurance that it should be better next week.  I am able to get around pretty well (that seems to improved day by day), but bending it much beyond 90 degrees still hurts like the devil!

Lora

I remember bending. The worst, but sometimes sleeping and sitting weren't a joy either. I remember being completely surprised in the hospital how good it actually felt to stand up and walk as long as no bending was involved! Seems like it took me forever to even hit 90 degrees with my first knee. I can't recall how long, but it eventually came and although I was in constant fear of not getting there and having to go back to the ER fir manual manipulation to break up the scar tissue, that never happened. Stick with the exercises religously! :) I also requested a referral for additional outpatient PT after home health PT was discontinued. In my case, I was only 35 and 36 at survey time and knew that I had a full time rigorous job to rerun to and wanted to be as strong as possible. I dud outpatient PT with each new knee for at least 2-3 months. ...just because I wanted to have no regrets about my rehab phase! :)