Failed knee replacement, dismissive follow-up. I needed a full revision by another surgeon…read more
I chose Dr. Faucett for my total knee replacement after consulting four surgeons, because of his reputation. That was a mistake I've spent 18 months recovering from.
Apart from the initial consult, all my pre-op care was handled by his PA. On surgery day, Dr. Faucett walked past me in pre-op without acknowledging me, and he never spoke to me after surgery either. I woke partway through the procedure being pulled so hard that I was sliding on the table before I was sedated more deeply. I was discharged a few hours later.
From day two, something was clearly wrong. My pain was 10/10 for weeks, and at 8 days the PA moved me to a medication I had already told them didn't work for me. I couldn't bend my knee enough to use a pedal exerciser, I couldn't straighten it, and I was bruised dark purple from foot to hip for over a month. I followed every PT and medication instruction. My physical therapist, who has years of TKR experience, contacted the office herself because she felt a "hard stop" in the joint. I sent weekly updates. The response was that everything was fine, and I was made to feel I was overreacting. At 6 weeks I was told I could see the doctor "if I insisted."
When I did see Dr. Faucett, at 45 degrees of flexion and -20 extension, he hadn't read my messages. He blamed my recovery on me, including not renting a $1,700 ROMtech bike, even though his PA had told me before surgery that my own equipment was adequate. He told me, with his back to me, that I'd need a manipulation under anesthesia.
I saw another surgeon that same day. The surgery caused me to go from triathlete to someone who couldn't walk through a grocery store without pain, despite two manipulations and a scar tissue procedure. My revision surgery found an oversized tibial component impinging on soft tissue and nerves, and both components loose. After a complete revision with properly sized components, my recovery has been dramatically better, with a fraction of the bruising and pain.
One knee replacement turned into four surgeries. In my experience, Dr. Faucett was not engaged in my care before, during, or after surgery, and when problems appeared, his office dismissed them instead of investigating. I would not choose him again, and I'd urge anyone considering him to look carefully elsewhere.