Anyone had a total knee replacement?

In one of my logistics divisions, we were seeing between 60-70 total knee replacements YOY. When I looked at the data then spoke with the insurance Companies, some of them were the same person, but the opposite knee. (These were all truck drivers.) Some would go to one hospital and spend 75-80k, and others went to a surgical center and they spent 35-40k. We cut a deal with the center for a cash price if they would do all of our knee replacements because they were the best. (We were self-insured so we could do that).

From a cost perspective, work with your insurance company to find a doctor/hospital where that's ALL they do. Here, we have a hospital outside Indy that does 4-5 per day. The rehab is outsourced and very strict. You must follow the regimen.

I can tell you with having horrible knee problems for 20 years that the technology is way better now than even 5 years ago. What is most important, is being healthy, following the rehab very strictly, and working slowly to get back to full speed. But after the replacement, don't do foolish things with it if you want it to last.

 

My mother had both done. One is great, the other still hurts. A year later the doc says she needs a different thickness spacer. She's 80 now and said fuck that she is not going through the recovery again even though they swear the spacer revision is far easier.

Once you start digging you will find spacer revision is not uncommon. I didn't see any mention of it when I was researching the operation for her at the onset and nobody mentioned it as a possibility. Turns out there are places who do nothing but revisions of knee replacements.

Just understand the rosy picture people paint ain't always the case.

 

I just had this done. A poly-swap (went from 6mm to 15mm,) along with polishing the underside of patella, and cleaning up some scar tissue, etc. It is easier and less painful. Still requires plenty of PT and recovery time.