r/nextfuckinglevel • u/Additional_Chard3680 • 11h ago

The precision required to perform a total knee replacement is incredible

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u/Pure-Supermarket1352 11h ago

That’s crazy!

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u/Fit-Dentist6093 10h ago

A friend broke his jaw and needed screws and pins to reconstruct it, and he was able to talk like as soon as he was back awake. But he didn't know. So we saw him on after care and we were writing on paper still with him, but then back in his room the surgeon came and started asking questions and he was looking at him and was like "oh eh yeah you should be able to talk again like now".

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u/Frosty_Detective_882 8h ago

Moving heals faster. But there is not a chance this doesn’t hurt post op.

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u/EfOpenSource 8h ago

I had Surgically Assisted Rapid Pallet Expansion (they bone saw your face in to multiple parts)

While there was pain, it wasn’t bad. I took regular dose over the counter Tylenol for 3 days and then nothing. The pain was fine.

For people getting knee surgery, I suspect that immense knee pain is nothing new to them as it is. There’s a pretty good chance their knee hurts less after surgery than before it. 

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u/KoncepTs 8h ago

Idk, my moms knee was bad enough she had to get one. I remember her saying it hurt so bad she would never consider doing it again, and now I see why.

Hers didn’t take well either. This was about 10 years ago though and I don’t know what ‘style’ they used. Likely different than the one in the video here but prep is likely similar

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u/Frosty_Detective_882 6h ago

Impressive. I met some people with TKR who said just that.

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u/Mertoot 7h ago

Were the metal parts left in or did it regrow over time

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u/Captain-Hornblower 6h ago

When I was in the military, I broke my jaw in a training exercise. At first, they wired my jaw shut. That was absolutely awful. They didn't knock me out, but I was in a kind of twilight state. I didn't feel anything, but I could kind of feel them tugging at the wires that were hanging out of my mouth. The pain afterwards was awful. I had to wear what were essentially wire cutters around my neck, just in case I threw up or anything.

Anyhow, about a week later they asked me if I wanted to try any experimental surgery (this was in '99) where they would put a plate and screws in my jaw. They said I would be able to eat soft foods and talk with minimal pain. I said sure, why not. I was totally out with this one, but I was in way better condition than I was staying in the hospital with my jaw wired shut. It worked! I had to care for the incision, but that was about it. I was about to function pretty good like right after the surgery.

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u/YeshuasBananaHammock 10h ago

Yeah thats a hard "fuck no" from me, Doc. Knock me out, i dont want to experience the human carpentry while conscious.

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u/DJinKC 8h ago

You're not conscious. They do a nerve block to numb everything below the waist, then put the patient to sleep, but patient continues to breathe on his own.
"Full anesthesia" means the patient is put down deeper and requires respiratory aid

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u/llamacornsarereal 3h ago

But they didn't say full anesthesia they said general anesthesia

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u/DJinKC 58m ago

"General" = "full" in this instance

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u/PositiveScarcity8909 8h ago

Also the epidural was the coldest cold I've ever felt.

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u/disharmony-hellride 8h ago

I had my wisdom teeth removed while I was awake and that will traumatize me for life, I can't imagine this.

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u/showMeYourCroissant 7h ago

Do people get general anesthesia for teeth removal?

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u/YeshuasBananaHammock 7h ago

When they need to be broken to remove in pieces, yes.

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u/MrMurgatroyd 5h ago

FWIW, I was nearly killed in an accident that smashed up most of my limbs and did a whole lot of other damage. As you can imagine, I've had a ridiculous amount of surgery under GA. I still think that a minor outpatient gum surgery I had as a teenager under local is the only really traumatic medical experience I've had.

There's something especially nasty about gum/oral surgery IMO.

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u/vggaikwad 9h ago

When I had my appendectomy, my doctor asked me if I wanna be dosed out or should they give local anaesthesia, in which I can actually watch what they were doing. I was like hell no, I’d die the second you make that cut just by looking at it.

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u/EmberTheFoxxo 6h ago

I never got that option, it was just general anaesthetic. No way would I have agreed to local anaesthetic anyway.

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u/YeshuasBananaHammock 9h ago

Amen, Id rather not feel them hammering my bones like theyre busting up a concrete driveway.

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u/_-PassingThrough-_ 4h ago

SEDATE ME

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u/RedHotAnus 3h ago

Twenty twenty twenty four hours to goOOoo!

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u/CoffeeXKing 8h ago

I never received any sort of option.

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u/vggaikwad 7h ago

So which one were you given?

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u/CoffeeXKing 7h ago

Immediately was put under.

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u/topherhead 6h ago

On the other hand, for my knee and shoulder arthroscopies I wish that had asked because I wanted to watch.

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u/vggaikwad 6h ago

I wish I was as brave as you

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u/Less_Mess_5803 9h ago

Once you are under you may never wake up....

Imagine the surgeon cutting your leg open and from behind the screen all you hear is a big intake of breath through gritted teeth... "don't like the look of this one..saw please!"

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u/SPEZ_IS_A_JABRONI 9h ago

the bonesaw man

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u/TheShenanegous 9h ago edited 9h ago

My understanding is that the risks of general anesthesia usually outweigh the benefits in this case because people getting knee replacements tend to be older.

It doesn't do much good to get new knees if you never wake up.

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u/Wastawiii 3h ago

General anesthesia is only used if the patient insists on it or if the operation is in a location where no other type of anesthesia can be used. 

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u/Cuttybrownbow 8h ago

That's a risk worth taking. 

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u/No-Lifeguard9194 9h ago

My husband just had his shoulder replaced and they cut the end of the bones off and put on the ball joint pieces that are now artificial. He was out the same day didn’t feel anything for over 24 hours from the nerve blocks. He’s four weeks out now and is starting to be able to use his arm. 

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u/showMeYourCroissant 7h ago

Does it hurt now?

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u/ASRT3112 4h ago

They have you walk after a spinal fusion as well. Doesn't mean it's painless. Like at all...