Page 11 - HFA Dateline 2017 Q1 Spring

Chris’s right knee before procedure. X-ray of Chris’s knee Above, the Ribial Plateau from the cadaver. Below,
Chronic synovitis has prevented proper after the procedure. Chris’s Tibial Plateau. Note the contrast of what a
function of the joint. typical 31-year-old’s knee and that of a person
with hemophilia’s looks like.

the muscles around the knee. This continuous motion aids the In the time since my operation, I’ve gone from constant pain
healing process and prevents fibrous scar tissue from building and 2-4 bleeds every year in my knee, to zero bleeds in my
up within the joint. I continued to use a CPM at home for about knee since earlier this year. I can’t remember the last time I
a month after surgery as well. My goals for my rehabilitation had knee pain, and for the first time since high school, I can
were to be able to re-engage my quadriceps and regain my build the muscle around my joint to protect it from further
range-of-motion. This proved more difficult than I thought. injury. My right leg has always been smaller than my left as it
A year-and-a-half later, I continue to make progress and now was always injured but now my legs are starting to look similar
I’m able to fully straighten out my knee. I am also positively in size and muscle mass, as the right gets stronger each day.
increasing my flexion, or ability to bend, which is far better My follow-up x-rays were right on track, showing that the
than it was before the surgery.
transplanted biological materials were adapting inside me so
The biggest change for me has been learning to “listen” to the the likelihood of my needing follow-up surgeries was slim.
joint again. I do not have the same feelings inside my knee as Now I can say I have a new life! I’m no longer sedentary and I
I did before the procedure. Everything inside the joint except can be the active and engaged father I’ve always wanted to be
the patella was “new equipment” and it took some time before for my kids. My family and I are really happy with the positive
I got the feeling back. Even bleeds felt different, and it took changes in our lives after the procedure and I have not had
some discussion with my HTC to figure out when I was having one single regret regarding my decision to have the operation.
a bleed and when I wasn’t. Before the procedure, I would feel
I am naturally very grateful to the team at the Missouri Or-
“ Communication and collaboration thopaedic Institute and the Jimmy Everest Center for Bleed-

with the patient in the center really ing and Clotting Disorders. MOI and my HTC worked closely
with me to create a path toward my health goals. I have been a
does result in positive outcomes. ” patient my entire life and I have a keen understanding of what
“Patient Experience” best practices look like. I can say without
the pressure and a slight tingling of pain inside the joint; now a doubt that my personal experience in knee replacement is
I have to look for other signs to help identify a bleed. Before exactly how the integrated framework for healthcare should
the surgery, the weakness, pain and impediments to walking look. Communication and collaboration with the patient in
with a normal gait were clues of a bleed in progress. None of the center really does result in positive outcomes. n n
those things is fun but now I needed other markers to help me
determine when bleeds were happening.
Spring 2017 | Dateline Federation 11