Friday, June 3, 2011

Newest update

So has been quite a while since i posted, as there wasnt really any change as after I saw the new surgeon Dr. Psutka I was basically in a holding pattern.

So i was on a 2 year waiting list for the complete joint replacement surgery. Now i was on this list however was 99% sure i wasnt going to go through with it due to the complications and lack of research pas 13 years. I stayed on the list in case i changed my mind.

So in April I had my 1 year follow up appointment. Nothing had really changed too much, still the same pain, jaw was still shifting to the right, etc etc.

So Dr. Psutka heard my cries for help with wanting a "fix" of some sort but not wanting the major surgery, and he was able to give me an answer.......ARTHROSCOPIC JAW SURGERY

So again there was another wait i was told, and i would have the surgery in the fall. I could deal with that! Then i got a call early May and was told there was a cancellation and I could go on May 20th!!!!

So what exactly is Arthroscopic jaw surgery.......well its basically a knee scope to the jaw joints.

Heres a clip from a website to describe it:
For arthroscopic jaw surgery, the surgeon inserts a pencil-thin, lighted tube (arthroscope) into the jaw joint through a small incision in the skin. The arthroscope is connected to a small camera outside the body that transmits a close-up image of the joint to a TV monitor.
The surgeon can insert surgical instruments through the arthroscope to perform surgery on the joint, preventing the need for more surgical incisions. This technique is used to diagnose and treat temporomandibular (TM) disorders
During arthroscopic surgery, the surgeon may:
Remove scar tissue and thickened cartilage.
Reshape parts of the jawbone.
Reposition the disc.
Tighten the joint to limit movement.
Flush (lavage) the joint.
Insert an anti-inflammatory medicine.
Procedures are done under general anesthesia and usually take 30 minutes or longer depending upon the type of procedure.

So i went in to have this done, and what was supposed to be a 30 minute surgery, and only an hour was booked in the OR, turned into 1.5 hours of surgery and a lot more work being done. Dr. Psutka did the right side no problem, 2 little incisions, cleaning up of the scar tissue, inserting some anti-inflammatory medicine, 2 little stitches and done.

Then goes the left side, 2 incisions, turned into 4 incisions as there was so much scar tissue where he first went in, he had to re-go in another location. This is where most of the 1.5 hours was spent.

So turns out there was way more joint deterioration that he thought, and hes never seen it this bad in someone of my ripe age of 30 lol.

Recovery wasnt too bad, however when i woke up, WOW, my eyelids were paralyzed and numb, couldnt close them or blink or anything. I had to physically close them myself. Heres me thinking, there was a slight change of paralysis, and of course it happened to me, haha. Thankfully it was just temporary and lasted 24 hours. It was probably from the pain medication, anti inflammatory and freezing that was injected into my joint during surgery.

So i left with a huge mummy bandage around my face and mesh around my head. It was nice because it was padding by my joints and made sleeping much more comfortable in case my face hit the pillow. Also it made inserting the ice packs easy instead of having to hold them up.

The stitches were removed a week later, and really theres a teeny weeny scar left from the incisions, cant really complain.

Food intake is difficult as you cant chew, so its soups, liquids and very squishy foods. Makes it hard to keep up your energy :(

Its been exactly 2 weeks today and im feeling good. Back at work, however having some achiness in the joints and tenderness around the incisions. But i do say this surgery was a success for what it was supposed to accomplish.

My opening has gone from 28 mm to a woping 35 mm and thats only 1 week post surgery. A usual opening is 42 mm i believe, so im definitely happy. And although achy when opening wide, i can tell its just from the surgery and once healed will be good when opening. I dont get the stiffness or pain when trying to open and i dont get lock jaw so far.

No having said it was a success is one thing, however i still have "crap" joints. I WILL require the complete joint replacement surgery at some point, but seems since the pain is way more manageable now, i will be able to wait.

I will try to upload pics soon of the recovery, and will update with any new changes.

I see Dr Psutka again in 5 weeks time!

No comments: