My French health journey: no-pain knee replacement took 90 minutes

The property we bought in Côtes-d’Armor needed a lot of work. When we arrived, I was already suffering from some knee problems but I kept them under control with over-the-counter painkillers. 

Within a year of moving, however, I was in constant pain so I went to my doctor. She suggested I see a specialist in Guingamp Hospital. 

After my first consultation, early in 2019, I was sent for X-rays. At the second appointment, the specialist said that I needed a full knee-joint replacement, and he explained the procedure. 

I returned for lubricating injections directly into the joint to ease the pain, and those helped, but the benefits wore off after a couple of weeks so I needed a second round. 

Three weeks later, the pain returned and by this time I was using crutches to get about so the decision was made to operate. 

Before the operation, I needed to have X-rays of my teeth, apparently to check there was no risk of any pre-existing infection that might affect the surgery. 

The tricky part was finding a dentist, as I had not registered for one and it was August, when many people are on holiday. 

Once I had the dental X-rays and the all-clear, I returned to the hospital for more detailed X-rays on my knee and to visit the anaesthetist. I was offered general or local anaesthetic, and I opted for local.

Then disaster struck because the Covid-19 pandemic shut everything down. However, as soon as the lockdowns were lifted I contacted the surgeon who asked when I wanted the operation. 

I jokingly suggested the next day. He said that wasn’t possible but that he could do it in three days’ time.

The procedure

I arrived at the hospital at 08:00 and was shown to my room. Then I was X-rayed again before being wheeled into the operating area. 

A local anaesthetic was administered in my back, and once this took effect I was wheeled into the operating theatre. 

They placed me on the operating table, set up a paper screen on my chest about 1.5 metres high, then inserted a drip in each arm and gave me headphones playing music. 

I could feel movement up and down the bed, but there was no pain. I could also hear some noise, but nothing that was worrying. 

The operation lasted about 90 minutes and afterwards I was wheeled into the recovery room. They kept checking on me every five minutes or so, and as soon as I could move my toes they took me for an X-ray. 

Then I was taken back to the ward and told that I could use the walking frame to get to the toilet if I needed it. The toilet was in my room.

Recovery

The next morning, I started physiotherapy twice a day. Initially, a machine was used to bend the knee to 60 degrees and I was told I should try to walk with either the frame or crutches if possible. 

I stayed in hospital for a week and by the end I could bend to 120 degrees. Before being allowed home, I had to be able to walk up and down stairs, and prove that I had arranged physiotherapy at home. 

Once back home, I had two physiotherapy treatments a week that included exercise and massaging the scar tissue. That continued for about six months. 

The second operation had to be postponed as I had a kidney problem, but once I got the all-clear I had the operation within five days. 

The procedure was the same as before, only this time I arranged for physiotherapy at home so I did not need to stay in hospital.

I had follow-up appointments at one month, three months, a year and then every two years. The only problem I have now is that I find it hard to kneel; otherwise everything is fine. 

With the first operation, it took about a year from my first appointment to surgery, and that was only because of Covid and the delay in finding a dentist. 

As for costs, everything was covered except the supplement to have a private room.

I would recommend the local anaesthetic, as recovery time seems to be better, and to arrange physiotherapy at home if you can. 

Having the operation has improved my life and the hospital experience was the best ever. The staff have time for you, the wards are clean and the food is fantastic. 

If you are offered a chance to have this procedure in Brittany, my advice would be to take it.

Facts and figures

• Over one million knee replacements are carried out each year worldwide.
• 120,000 occur annually in France, double the number in 2016.
• 63% of patients are women, 37% are men.
• The average age for knee replacement surgery is 71.
• The average prosthesis lasts 15 to 20 years.