Fusion (Arthrodesis)

Hi all,

I'm happy to find this site and the forum. My story is not my own but my mothers. She tried TKR but unfortunately contracted an infection and after 11 surgeries they removed the artificial joint and fused her leg. The fusion didn't take so her 12th or so surgery involved putting a metal rod in from her hip to her ankle bone. She has no knee cap or joint of any kind now. I was reading "Catherine no knee's" 2002 entries and her stories of the disabilities are accurate to what my mother experiences (THANKS Catherine!). The most ordinary things are beyond her like shopping, getting into a car, up the stairs to her bedroom. We have all been waiting for her leg to heal in order to have some understanding of what she and we can expect about her abilities. It's a long slow process and it's been 6 months since the rod was put in but I have the expectation that eventually she'll be able to walk (it's now 21/3 years since she's been in a wheelchair for this). I want to know a couple of things. 1) does anyone know of a portable device my mom could order which would allow her to bring as a prop for her leg when she wants to visit or go out. As many with a leg fusion know she has to have something to put her leg on when she sits down or it's very uncomfortable. 2) I am intrigued at the possibility of a reversal for the fusion as I"ve seen mentioned here. I am assuming that since my mother does not have a knee cap (or any joint at all now) the reversals discussed here wouldn't work as she had a different sort of fusion. Am I correct? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks and good luck to you all, as someone who currently has healthy knees I want you to know I am NOT taking them for granted. You are all heros those of you living through this.
Best wishes!

Hello I am a 31 year old female who had a knee fusion a year and half ago. I am desperatly interested in a knee reversal for a total knee replacement. I would like to know if there are any people on here who have had this procedure done and the outcome of it. I am interested in any information regarding Doctors or possible implants for knee fusion reversal and if you have had the procedure done, how risky is it? I appreciate any feedback pertaining to knee fusion reversals or implants. Thanks!

I am 31 years old. I have had 15 surguries on my right knee. My 14th operation was an external knee fusion. it was done with two plates and 36 screws, not with a rod. 4 months after the surgury, i was diagonosed with a MRSA staph infection. The infection was bending the hardware in the opoisite direction for the knee to fuse. So i had to walk on the leg ang push my femur into the tib/ fib to fuse my knee. After 18 months of excruciating rehab , i fused the knee and they then operated on the knee to take out the hardware and they removed all the infected bone they could affored to remove without jeopardizing the fusion. I then had 4 (2 month treatments of IV antibiotics) at home. The antibiotics didnt work and the infection has healed inside my distal femur. I know have chronic osteomyelitis. The doctor who operated on me left my knee cap in place so one day i could have the fusion revered into a knee replacement. though the knee replcemeny is possible ,the infection has detered any doctor from doing the procedure. The fusion was more painful than the hardware removal. I hope that this helps you. if you have anymore questions, u can e-mail me at kkopka@bellsouth.net

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Originally posted by: juliehirst
Hi Susan, My name is julie and I am a representative for a company that manufactures implants for knee fusion. These devices are very sophisticated but they have proven to be very successful. If you e-mail me back and let me know what part of the country you are from I may be able to point you in the right direction and give you some information on our implant.

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My name is Tom and have had a knee fusion for 20 years. I am intersted in your inplants for a possible revesal. I live in western NY

Thank you,

Tom

hi im 21 yrs i had an accident when i was 17 and after that i went to numerus knee surgerys and ultimately the doctors said there is nothing could be done and they asjed me to go for knee fusion bt i was afraid i dnt did that but later i had my knee fused naturally and its been 6 yrs now and i went to australia and was told by a doctor that knee replacement is posible bt they said that i should have age of23 yrs so i dont know wat treatment i can get to have my leg get fine atleast that i can bend it im realy worried if any body has any inf please do let me know on ANSHIDHILLION@YAHOO.COM

I HAVE HAD A KNEE FUSION SINCE I WAS 28 YEARS OLD, DUE TO A CAR RUNNING ME OVER 3 TIMES.I HAD A KNEE REPLACEMENT DONE 15 YEARS LATER.THIS WAS A LAST CHANCE TYPE KNEE REPLACEMENT. I HAVE LESS STABILITY IN MY LEFT KNEE NOW. THE OPERATION WAS WELL WORTH THE CHANCE. I HATED THE LEG FUSION, AND STILL SUFFER FROM DOING HARD LABOR TYPE WORK WITH A FUSION. MY HIP AND BACK BOTHER ME ONCE IN A WHILE. I CAN'T IMAGINE THE PAIN I WOULD BE IN IF I DIDN'T GET THIS OPERATION AND STAYED WITH A KNEE FUSION. A KNEE REPLACEMENT IS MUCH BETTER THAN LIVING WITH A LEG FUSION. I WOULD TAKE THE CHANCE. BEST OF LUCK! I ALMOST DIED GETTING IT, BUT AFTER 19 HOURS OF SURGERY IT WAS DONE. WENT BACK TO WORK AFTER 6 WEEKS. I HAVE HAD THIS KNEE REPLACEMENT FOR OVER 6 YEARS NOW. ROBERTTAITSR@YAHOO.COM

Had left knee fusion after total knee replacement failed due to repeated infections. I was under the impression that fusion could be reversed after infection was cured. I have been told there is no reversal.I am 63 yrs old and still would like to be more active, but the fusion makes all activity difficult. I would like to have it reversed even if I have to wear a brace.Having it fused makes it difficult to manuver in a wheelchair.The other knee is in very bad shape and needs to be replaced but I can't risk it with this one fused. The pain is so bad I will have to do something soon. Any information on a fusion reversal would be appreciated.

i would see another doctor and find out what he can do for you, i,m having a knee fusion done in may iv,e had to many surgies i can,t count them all, besides i was so many pills and so many other things that they weren,t working for me, so i know what your going through.write me back if you want to.karen let me km\now what he said.

Hi Susan, I fell from a cliff when I was 15 and had several fractured bones in my body. I suffered most severely, however, with a compound fracture to my right knee and femur. I fell in a Creek and because of the open wound, dirty water got into my bone joint. I developed osteomylitis on top of all the other problems to my knee (fracture, torn cartlidge, ligaments etc.) The Doctor's told me because of the bone infection and arthritis that was developing, fusion and not knee replacement was my best option. It was indeed a hard decision to make but it completely relieved me of permanent pain in my leg. The fusion went wonderfully and I have had no problems with the screws or plate so they have stayed inside my leg. There was some psychological adjustments I had to deal with, because it is a change of life style, but considering the option which is life long chronic pain, I would do it over again. Sincerely, Dawn

Hi Susan ! I was hit by a car when I was a young girl and just learned how to ride the bike. For my totally smashed knee there was no other treatment than knee fusion and as far as I know there's also no way for knee replacement for very young children in the case of an accident. I'm now 27 and have my knee fused for almost 20 years now. I have learned to live with it, though I was looking from time to time whether knee replacement after knee fusion is possible, but this seems to be a risky thing so I don't consider this. A knee arthrodesis means that they will remove your knee or parts of the knee and make the bones fuse together, so you will have a stiff leg which does not bend. But the advantage is that you can expect a very stable and pain free limb if the fusion surgery succeeds and with a knee replacment you always have the risk that it fails or the artificial knee causes trouble and has to be removed again. But if knee arthrodesis is your last chance and the surgeons are confident that surgery will succeed you may not regret it ! But this decission is really highly individually and depends on your knee, if surgery succeeds and finally if you really can accept to live with a totally stiff knee and a straight leg. From my point of view, I can live with it very well but the situation is really individually for every person. I hope this helps you a bit !