What is your knee made out of?
Mine is Stryker Triathlon made of chrome with cement bonding and I had it done on the NHS at a private hospital. Lot of pain.
Hmmmm....Mary I did no ask. Good question for next week doc visit. I know it is a 30 year knee.
What do you mean a 30year knee??
What is NHS?? My surgery was done at Christ Hospital sPine and Joint Center In Ohio.
I made a point of asking the surgeon last time I saw him. Somebody I know never tires of saying her husbands knee is made of titanium,quite snobbishly actually. I was told in another discussion that titanium is the rolls royce of knees. Well,Ive never owned a rolls royce and going private for a knee would completely clean me out. So I asked. Like you I attended a private hospital on the NHS. The care was very poor and if anybody is paying for that kind of treatment they are being done. I had rehab in the same town and they were marvellous. Like the difference between a skoda and a ...... rolls royce. Anyway,the man told me part of the knee was cobalt chrome,part platic and part TITANIUM. Four months ago and it still clicks and I still get some pain,though Im not complaining as Im now walking fairly well and driving. Saw my physio today and she tells me Im doing well. Shes a diamond.
Called Verilast Technology...made of oxinium metal alloy. It should outlast a typical replacement knee. My orth is one of 18 surgeons in Ohio trained to install this knee.
Is there such thing as having a metal allergy test done prior? What if you have a new installed knee and then have some sort of reaction to the material?
NHS stands for National Health Service but now you can choose your hospital private or public and it's free.
Most consultants who work in the private sector also work in the public sector.
Did you have to pay for yours and how much was it? If I'm not being cheeky
Titanium is supposed to be the Rolls Royce of knees but it doesn't last as long as the others so my surgeon told me.
Mine is also cobalt chrome like yours but I was wondering if you have experienced much pain. Maybe the titanium isn't so painful.
Dunno but thats interesting. Ive had a recurring rash since my surgery. It responds to cream but I am seeing a skin specialist on 11th April. I DID ask the surgeon whether this could be the case and he said "ALMOST unheard of. No" But the cynic in me thinks he would say that wouldnt he?
Mary, we have medical insurance that covered the surgery. As John said titanium does not last as long. Since I am early 50's this was easy for the surgeon to get thru he system.
Sorry I didnt read all of your previous message properly.
But I agree even down to he food which at times was inedible prompting me to ask that if they had two menus ie one for the private and one for the poor relations.
The pressure on me to to go home was dreadful - I got an extra day (4) purely because my blood pressure was so low.
If I had gone to my local NHS I could have stayed apparently as long as I needed.
Also I wasn't that impressed with the theatre facilities. Seemed a bit basic
My knee is just chrome - didn't realise all this
Would be very careful before I had the other one done - may ask for half knee as its not as bad.
Will hav to have it done because he's made me a fraction taller on the new knee!!
I'm jealous - you have got a much lighter implant which should last longer than cobalt chrome which is mine - yours is far superior - too late now but let's hope my body accepts it. The rage is all for titanium here but they don't do that on the NHS
Hi Mary
He said part of it was cobalt chrome and part was titanium. I had pain early on but it got less and less as the weeks have gone on. Im not taking painkillers now,only naproxen when I get more than usual. I can DEFINITELY feel that its different and it doesnt feel like the other one. But although bad at first its quite a lot better now.
I wasnt so bothered about the food because I can eat anything. But the staff,apart from a couple of trainee nurses,were uncaring and frankly not very good. I had to ask them to change my dressing,even had to tell one Id done some first aid and knew what I was talking about. There was a near 90 year old man in the ward who sat for 2 hours waiting for the toilet after a hip operation. I had to press my buzzer a few times to get attention. Honest.
Also Mary when I went to the rehab I had to pay for a taxi to the rehab hospital,3 miles away as it was a private hospital. Good job I had some change!! It wasnt the paying that bothered me. But was I glad to get there. They were marvellous.
I know they don't tell you that - they should do a test to see if you're allergic to the metal. Remember years later it came out about people were allergic to the Mercury dental fillings?
I had a rash also on the back of my knee but he said it was the blood thinning injections. I think it was a reaction to the knee but they won't commit.
Well I suppose you get what you pay for. I bet the NHS is far better equipped for operations like this but knee and hip ops are big money for these private hospitals - I should think that's what keeps them going - then they get money for six weeks physio for everybody.
Well I hope my chrome prosthetic settles soon because I'm now sitting on the side of my bed exhausted from lack of proper sleep and I can't get comfortable. I've taken 2 solpadol and I'm wondering what else to take.
I think titanium is lighter though and probably recovery is a lot better
You should know before you have the operation if you have a metal allergy. It is to do with the nickel content. It is up to you to tell the consultant if you are allergic