Knee & Hip Replacement Community

Some people have had problems with knee replacement protheses who are allergic to metals, primarily nickel. Different implants have different compositions. Ones made from titanium or zirconium don't have nickel, but the ones with cobalt and chrome do. I've heard from three different surgeons that if you have a nickel allergy and you get a cobalt-chrome prothesis, it may never heal properly and you'll continue to have pain. Might want to check on this. Very sorry to hear about your pain. Hope you find the answer.

So is it possible to have reaction to a titanium knee and what would the sypmtoms be.

Gimpy, It is not possible for your body to "reject" a knee replacememt. The term rejection would only apply to internal organs. 1 t0 2 % of patients can have Orthopedic Metal Immune Hypersensitivity or metal allergies as the last post noted. Titanium has a low incidence of immune hypersensitivity, and the reported cases almost always described either alloys containing vanadium, a relatively high concentration of nickel contaminates, or both.8 Tantalum has been reported once as a cause of an allergic response,9 and zirconium has never been shown to induce immune reactions.

www.orthosupersite.com/view.asp?rid=23139

Your 130 bend and 0 extension is great. The best I can get is 115 on one and 120 on the other with 0 extension.

Who told you it was not possible to have a reaction?I remember when i had my tkr another person there had reaction to his knee implant.

Possible to have am adverse reaction to the metals in the replacement joint but not a rejection.

I am three years since my knee replacement surgery. I am having your same problems. How do I test for allergy problem. I am at mpapkov@stny.rr.com. Thank you

I had bilateral uni-compartment knee replacement done in July 2004. I've had continuous pain in both knees at various levels. At times it is very intense, others just bothersome.

I just did a Google search to see if there was information available, or was is something I'd have to live with. It's very interesting to find that there are others with the a similar problem and that there maybe an explanation.

I will contact the surgeon that did my replacement and find out what type was used and if he has any additional information on the issue. I will post anything I find.

Hi,

My father is having some of the same problems as you. However, he has been having severe edema and fluid leaking from his skin after having his bilateral TKR 4years ago. Do you know what kind of knees that were implanted during your replacement. I know that it is possible for your body to reject knee replacement, however there is not a lot of information available online to find out whether you have the symptoms.

wow, I never knew that this was possible. How can I find out what mine is made of??I live in the UK and surgeons here are not that available for such questions.

: Yes, I too had a right knee replacement put in a couple of years ago and still have pain and also now into my lower back and legs hurt too. I was told that I have 'Osteoarthritis"; and osteoporosis, and degenerative bone Disease loss. I have arthritis which settled in continually since the surgery. I went to a chiropractor for a month or so, which did no good either on my lower back pain. I am getting ready to have the (3) series at individual dates of the Cortisone shots injected into the lower back for the chronic pain. (This is a Pain-Management Dr.) who recommends this treatment for the pain. My feet, ankles, and lower legs have edema which came also after the knee replacement. It seems some people heal up fast after surgery, not me nor you, Huh? Why? I do not understand neither.

Is it possible for you to get a cortisone shot in the bursa? I've had those before and they have helped an awful lot. The same bursa is starting to act up in the TKR I had last November and other than that it hasn't been bothering me for quite a while. I will be seeing my surgeon in another month or so and will ask him then. I am starting to get some local sensitivity feeling back that is similar to what I had before the replacement. I think a lot of that is from restoration of the nerves that were damaged during the surgery. Nothing is worse than that darn tendonitis, either. The bend feels normal both ways and I don't feel like I had a TKR. My hips are bothering me and I think I may be in for those, I hope not. Good luck to you.

I had a total knee replacement in December of last year, it has taken me until now to walk without a stick, I still have pain, although better than it was, but I will never do this operation again.

I too had a left knee replacement in July of 08' and have had nothing but problems since. I have done physical therapy two times and my knee still is not right. I have pain on the top of the knee around the kneecap and the kneecap moves back and forth. I went back to my doctor who did the surgery and he told me that he had done everything right and nothing was wrong with the knee and that it was because "I was older" and it would take time--up to two years or more for the knee to feel right. I have been to two other orthopaedic surgeons and they both have told me that something is wrong but that they won't know exactly what it is until they go in and take a look. The second doctor told me that he felt that the prosthesis was loosening and would probably have to replace it. The first doctor says he thinks the metal piece is too big and that it would have to be replaced with a smaller one. I am so confused and so frustrated. I can't move very fast and going up and down stairs is very slow. My balance is way off because I feel like I am going to fall all the time. This has been the worst decision I have ever made in my life to have this surgery. My other knee is in the same shape as my left one was before I did the surgery but there is no way I will ever do anything about it. I have to go in next summer (2010) and let one of the doctors take a look and see what is wrong. I am not looking forward to that. I hope that the doctor can fix it. My ability to get around and do things is much worse than it was before I did the surgery. FOR ANYONE THINKING ABOUT DOING THIS SURGERY: If you are thinking about having the surgery please do research and find out all you can before you do the surgery. The doctors do not tell you all the bad things that can happen before they do the surgery. You find out too late!

I had bilateral total knee replacement in January 2008, patella realignments in May 2008, and a second patella realignment for both in November 2008. I have had constant pain and swelling since the original surgery. After extensive physical therapy I still walk with a cane and unable to climb stairs.

Last week I learned from an Allergen Patch Test that I tested strong positive for phenylenediamine. This is usually considered as an allergy to hair dye; however this product is often used as a component of engineered polymers because of its high temperature stability, high strength and good shock absorbance. My doctor has confirmed with the implant provider that this compound is used in the plastic component of my implants. I am seeking answers as the only recommendation was to take 25mg Benadryl twice a day and a referal to an immunologist for drugs to alter my immune system. The doctors say they have never seen this before, but others with similar symtoms must have such an allergy. If you have heard of this before, please let me know.