The Dr. has reasons for refusing replacement. Then get her a "pain management" Dr. The longivity of pain will do things to her brain and body and she will "go downhill".
If you've exhausted your options such as a second opinion, alternatives to general anaesthesia,etc., then I would suggest a consult with a pain management specialist.
Very unlikely that any anesthesiologist will put her 'under' although sometimes these kinds of surgeries can be done with spinal anesthesia. You'd need a consult with an anesthesiologist to see if she qualifies for that.
I have a friend who is in her 70's and she put off knee replacement for quite a few years by having the gel type injections.
She should be able to take something by mouth for the pain. Nobody needs to live in constant pain. A pain management dr could help with that.
There are minimally invasive options that don't require pain meds: - gel injections (my mom's done this and it worked in one knee but not the other) - nerve ablation deadens the nerves transmitting the pain. Nerve may grow back but I think the ablation can be done again. - peripheral nerve stimulation (a temporary lead inserted at a strategic spot that interrupts the pain nerve transmission). This is different than like a TENS unit and is fairly new on the market but has a 72% success rate and once it works it doesn't need to be repeated. Keep pursuing these at your ortho pain clinic -- don't give up! There are options!
Her heart may not survive the surgery. A man we knew recently died from complications from knee surgery. He suffered a couple of strokes, then it was found he had CHF and needed bypasses. Couldn't do the bypasses because of his CHF.
Very unlikely that any anesthesiologist will put her 'under' although sometimes these kinds of surgeries can be done with spinal anesthesia. You'd need a consult with an anesthesiologist to see if she qualifies for that.
I have a friend who is in her 70's and she put off knee replacement for quite a few years by having the gel type injections.
She should be able to take something by mouth for the pain. Nobody needs to live in constant pain. A pain management dr could help with that.
- gel injections (my mom's done this and it worked in one knee but not the other)
- nerve ablation deadens the nerves transmitting the pain. Nerve may grow back but I think the ablation can be done again.
- peripheral nerve stimulation (a temporary lead inserted at a strategic spot that interrupts the pain nerve transmission). This is different than like a TENS unit and is fairly new on the market but has a 72% success rate and once it works it doesn't need to be repeated.
Keep pursuing these at your ortho pain clinic -- don't give up! There are options!
Also, here is some information from the Mayo Clinic site:
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/troubled-by-knee-arthritis-but-not-ready-for-knee-replacement