Botched operation left me on my knees
AS A retired GP and someone who has also suffered from the results of unsatisfactory knee surgery, I feel that after many years of replacement surgery for arthritic knees, the standards are still not good enough and not enough investigation is made into surgery with poor results. One in five knee replacement operations are less than satisfactory. There is no way for a patient who is considering a knee replacement to assess the work of a surgeon. The best indication of success following knee operations in otherwise fit patients is the ability to ride a bike three months after the op. All knee surgeons should be able to provide this information about their patients. You would then have sensible criteria on which to assess the surgeon’s ability before you opt for surgery. I had operations on both knees on the same day by the same surgeon. At the time I was very fit, except for my arthritic knees, and the physio said I should have no problems after the op as my muscle strength was so good. The right knee was a success, but the left would not bend properly and it was painful to use an exercise bike. I struggled to get out of the bath, it was difficult putting on socks or doing up shoelaces and getting in and out of a car was a problem. This had a significant effect on my life and I often had to rest my knee. After nine years of these problems, I went to see an eminent orthopaedic surgeon who was willing to do knee revision surgery. I was reassured that he would be able to put things right, though it was going to be an expensive operation and hospital stay. However, my optimism was misplaced and my disability is now worse than it was before. Standards regarding knee replacement operations are not high enough and analysis of why these operations go wrong is very poor. Because of the serious long-term consequences of poor surgery, I feel that every such case should be assessed by an investigative group of knee surgeons and a physiotherapist. The results could be published so all knee surgeons could have access to the possible reasons why operations fail. I feel this is the only way to reduce the ongoing problems associated with unsuccessful knee operations.
Dr NORMAN EDWARDS, Sible Hedingham, Essex.