I hope you can weigh in here on my question.
Ortho rebuilt my knee cap in 1969 (age 12) and scraped my synovial lining and the cartilage and rebuilt my knee cap.... for many years following that procedure I did not have any issues with the stiffness or swelling or any of the RA issues in that joint.
Have any of you had this experience?
Following replacement surgery, your joint worked like it can't with RA?
Thanks.. for answering my question and my curiosity
I had a left total knee replacement the beginning of April. I'm still experiencing some post-op pain and swelling, and working hard at gaining my quad strength back. The one thing that I did notice almost immediately after surgery, was that the RA pain was gone...it was surgical pain that I was and still am feeling. I actually have better range of motion now, than I did before the surgery...I'm still lacking about 5 degrees of extension, but my flexion is at 120 degrees, vs about 100 degrees before surgery. I'm certain that once I'm completely recovered, my knee will work much better and with much less pain than before surgery. Are you considering having it done? Ask for a continuous femoral nerve block along with the general anesthesia...it really helps with the pain the first couple of days post op.
Babs I have 7 joints replaced. Artificial joints can give you a grat deal of function and pain relief but they are not your natural joint and can not 100% replicate the original equipment however since the original euipment was shot the replacements are the next best thingsI had a total knee replacement about 2 1/2 yrs ago and it has been a success - ok, for a while there is a little discomfort as it settles in, and the set exercises need to be done to build up strength and get the leg bent, but it is all worthwhile and I was given good pain medication for the first few weeks to enable me to get thru the exercises. Bst of all, no more excruciating pain as bone grated on bone!!