She is 69 years old and in great health overall. She is on antibiotics for one week for the root canal next week. Her knee surgery is in early February.
Dentist previously cleared her. My Mom is refusing to update the surgeon because she has travel plans in May and July that she doesn’t want to postpone.
What concerns you specifically?
I hate to jump on the bandwagon here but your mom is 69, in good general health and decisional. This is her choice to make. I am sure she is aware that there ight be complications. and if there are complications any travel plans will be postponed.
Besides, I don't think she needs to notify the surgeon, dental surgery isn't going to compromise anything for the knee surgery. Antibiotics are often prescribed as a precaution for dental surgery, unfortunately.
If she does not tell the surgeon, I would.
From everyones response 3 weeks seems to be the magic number but still risky. I pray for the best outcome for her. That’s really all I can do.
Thank you all for responding.
huh? Nope, it's the other way around. The knee replacement is a much more risky surgery and takes priority. The ortho surgeon clears her for the root canal.
I guess if your mom is willing to take that risk then she will have to live with the consequences of her choices if God forbid something bad happens.
My understanding is the danger exists--this was the prior orthopedic view not sure how up-to-date it is now-- if for instance, one has a knee replacement and then has dental surgery that results in an infection that can travel to the prosthetic body part.
From your post, it's not clear whether your mom is going to have knee replacement surgery or just knee surgery. In any case, yes she is cutting it close and an ongoing infection precludes any kind of surgery.
On antibiotics NOW for root canal?
Usually you need to take prophylactic antibiotics before knee surgery.
She had been very quiet this last week. No text, no call so I suspected she was hiding something so I called her. The need for a root canal and currently taking antibiotics prescribed by the dentist was the update. I’m going to check in with her next week after the root canal.