Post surgery protocol

[Cloud Nine]

Hi All,
I am just looking for experiences or opinions, not lectures.
I recently had a TKR ( total knee replacement). The surgery went well and I am healing slowly.
However since the surgery, I have not seen the surgeon even once. I have only been dealing with the NP....staple removal and on my 6th week visit ex-rays and a full evaluation. She seems competent enough but she is not the MD.
Is this a common practice in Florida? Had I known I might have had the surgery up north where the docs show up post surgery as well.
Be sure to ask your doctor if he will continue to see you post surgery. I believe he did an excellent job....I’m just surprised he is now a phantom!

[bagboy]

It's not unusual to be seen by your surgeons NP or PA post surgery. If all is going well, there is no need for the doctor. If it's not, I'm thinking your doctor will see you right away. Times have changed and I guess we should probably adapt somewhat ourselves. Congrats on your successful TKR. Mine just passed the 5 year mark with no problems.

[Carla B]

I wondered the same thing when I had a TKR in Florida (not The Villages). The only time I saw the surgeon post-surgery was at the one-year followup. I guess it's just the protocol here.

[JoMar]

I had a hip replacement earlier in the year in The Villages Hospital and the surgeon was in the specialty center. I saw the surgeon on every visit post surgery until released. Must vary practice to practice.

[Fredster]

Hi All,
I am just looking for experiences or opinions, not lectures.
I recently had a TKR ( total knee replacement). The surgery went well and I am healing slowly.
However since the surgery, I have not seen the surgeon even once. I have only been dealing with the NP....staple removal and on my 6th week visit ex-rays and a full evaluation. She seems competent enough but she is not the MD.
Is this a common practice in Florida? Had I known I might have had the surgery up north where the docs show up post surgery as well.
Be sure to ask your doctor if he will continue to see you post surgery. I believe he did an excellent job....I’m just surprised he is now a phantom!

Your post, got me to thinking about my last TKR that I had done on 2010. It was preformed by an highly regarded ortho surgeon at a large hospital located in a west Chicago suburb.
And even back then my post op followup and all remaining follow ups for the next two years were handled by a PA. I had a good PA that was very thorough. Everything went well doing it that way and I always felt had there been any issues, my surgeon would have been involved very quick.
One thing to keep in mind is that a really good ortho surgeon is kept pretty busy, and it is good to have a great surgeon do the work.
Knock on wood, I was fortunate to have two excellent surgeons, my first TKR was done in 2004 and it’s still doing a admirable job for me!
In my opionion I don’t see it as a Florida specific process.
Have a speedy recovery!

[mark47]

My wife had a full knee replacement on or about August 1st. She saw the surgeon the next day in the hospital. She just saw the surgeon last week (November 29th). First time since August 2nd. Surgeon told her all is well and she could go snow skiing if she wanted. Her work was in Sarasota. She did have follow up visit but never with her surgeon. I should mention that she had her surgery around 12 noon and was the 12th patient that morning.

[kcrazorbackfan]

I had rotator cuff surgery on the left shoulder (2nd time in 3 yrs :ohdear:) and have seen my surgeon twice since then. Am cleared to not see him again for 7 more weeks.

[PennBF]

You have to love Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. You will always see a MD, He will write up the results of the consultation and they will be posted on your Portal with in a couple of hours along with your lab results and any other medical procedured you may have had that day. :coolsmiley: