Re: Revovery Period after chondroplasty and Lateral release.

[Guest guest]

Smitty,

I had a scope job on my left knee at the end of September.

Original diag was torn meniscus. Surgery went pretty well. I woke

up in recovery with little pain, and no ice machine. Matter of fact,

I had little pain until the next day when the local anesthesia wore

off. When I saw the ortho a week later, he told me I had a grade 4

osteochondral lesion on the femur. He calls it a " divot on the

knuckle " . I'm in my fifth week of physical therapy, and to the point

of just being able to climb/descend stairs normally, with a cane. So

I'm improving slowly because of the lesion. The ortho told me that if

all I had was some cartiledge trouble, I would mostly be healed by

now. The " divot " could mean a total knee replacement some time down

the road. I may give the glucosamine a try when I see what the NIH

study says. The ortho said it was just " expensive jello " , but he had

no objections to my trying it. A little pain and stiffness in the

knee at the end of the day, but I'm hoping that will improve. The

insurance people are evaluating me to see if I can go back to work

under light duty. I'm hoping to get six more pt's this month before

I go back. I gave up the ACE brace, but still carry/use the cane.

Good luck,

mack

>

> I recently had surgery on my left knee, after years of problems I

finally went to a well respected orthopedic surgeon. I was told to

try 6 weeks of physical therapy to see if that would correct my

problem since they were not sure what it was to start with. I had an

MRI and the results showed that I had loose cartilage underneath the

kneecap. All of my symptoms and problems had questioned them to

think that it was a meniscus tear. After my 6 weeks of therapy my

SNIP

[Guest guest]

*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate Pro*

Mack, I have been on the glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM thing for a couple of

months, and all I can tell you is when I DON'T take it my knee starts acting

up, so it must be doing something.

Joya

.. I may give the glucosamine a try when I see what the NIH

> study says. The ortho said it was just " expensive jello " , but he had

> no objections to my trying it. A little pain and stiffness in the

> knee at the end of the day, but I'm hoping that will improve.

[Guest guest]

I too had a scope recently but my experience wasn't anything like either of

yours, I was awake for the whole thing, nerve block from the get go, no ice

machine just a gallon sized bag of ice, and I walked to the car ( with help of

course) about 45 minutes after surgery ended. I also went back to school on

friday and I the surgery was on a wednesday. I only visited the pt once to get

the excercises explained well and a good understanding of what I needed to do,

and I do it on my own. Within 4 weeks I was refereeing soccer games and I have

most of my range of motion back, my only complaint is a strange pop/grind thing

that happens when I turn corners and stuff like that. I'm 7 weeks out now and a

lil better than before surgery I still can't run a 5k but I'm good for about a 2

mile jog w/ some ice after, but good luck you guys. I hope ur recoveries speed

up. Casey

Smitty,

I had a scope job on my left knee at the end of September.

Original diag was torn meniscus. Surgery went pretty well. I woke

up in recovery with little pain, and no ice machine. Matter of fact,

I had little pain until the next day when the local anesthesia wore

off. When I saw the ortho a week later, he told me I had a grade 4

osteochondral lesion on the femur. He calls it a " divot on the

knuckle " . I'm in my fifth week of physical therapy, and to the point

of just being able to climb/descend stairs normally, with a cane. So

I'm improving slowly because of the lesion. The ortho told me that if

all I had was some cartiledge trouble, I would mostly be healed by

now. The " divot " could mean a total knee replacement some time down

the road. I may give the glucosamine a try when I see what the NIH

study says. The ortho said it was just " expensive jello " , but he had

no objections to my trying it. A little pain and stiffness in the

knee at the end of the day, but I'm hoping that will improve. The

insurance people are evaluating me to see if I can go back to work

under light duty. I'm hoping to get six more pt's this month before

I go back. I gave up the ACE brace, but still carry/use the cane.

Good luck,

mack

>

> I recently had surgery on my left knee, after years of problems I

finally went to a well respected orthopedic surgeon. I was told to

try 6 weeks of physical therapy to see if that would correct my

problem since they were not sure what it was to start with. I had an

MRI and the results showed that I had loose cartilage underneath the

kneecap. All of my symptoms and problems had questioned them to

think that it was a meniscus tear. After my 6 weeks of therapy my

SNIP

[Guest guest]

Mack:

It sounds like we had some of the same...I was told the last time

that I went to the orthopedic surgeon that i may want to try

glucosamine. He recomended buying a certain brand from him, but i

already had some at my house. He said that it basically just

depends what brand that you get. What he was recomeneding is what

they give the Tennessee Titans (he is the team doctor) but i am not

sure what it is. I also have knots of scar tissue under my

incesions and he recomemend some kind of cream for it.

I am now 10 weeks out of surgery and still have a little probelems

on stairs. Definintly have to hold on to the railing, but i have

been walking pretty good recently. I was also told that i may need

a knee replacement down the road as well especially since i am only

24 now. They are watching my recovery closely, i am going back

every 5 weeks becuase he may want to go back in and put a patch/cap

over the bone. But until then i am still recovering as well. It

gets very aggravating not being able to do anything. I did go back

to work after the first week but i have a desk job. Hope you

recovery gets better.

Good Luck, Amy

> >

> > I recently had surgery on my left knee, after years of problems

I

> finally went to a well respected orthopedic surgeon. I was told

to

> try 6 weeks of physical therapy to see if that would correct my

> problem since they were not sure what it was to start with. I had

an

> MRI and the results showed that I had loose cartilage underneath

the

> kneecap. All of my symptoms and problems had questioned them to

> think that it was a meniscus tear. After my 6 weeks of therapy my

>

> SNIP

>

[Guest guest]

Tell us about the patch/cap they want to put over the bone. Can it be that

easy? If so, this is probably what we've all been waiting for.

Ann

Re: Revovery Period after chondroplasty

and Lateral release.

Mack:

It sounds like we had some of the same...I was told the last time

that I went to the orthopedic surgeon that i may want to try

glucosamine. He recomended buying a certain brand from him, but i

already had some at my house. He said that it basically just

depends what brand that you get. What he was recomeneding is what

they give the Tennessee Titans (he is the team doctor) but i am not

sure what it is. I also have knots of scar tissue under my

incesions and he recomemend some kind of cream for it.

I am now 10 weeks out of surgery and still have a little probelems

on stairs. Definintly have to hold on to the railing, but i have

been walking pretty good recently. I was also told that i may need

a knee replacement down the road as well especially since i am only

24 now. They are watching my recovery closely, i am going back

every 5 weeks becuase he may want to go back in and put a patch/cap

over the bone. But until then i am still recovering as well. It

gets very aggravating not being able to do anything. I did go back

to work after the first week but i have a desk job. Hope you

recovery gets better.

Good Luck, Amy

> >

> > I recently had surgery on my left knee, after years of problems

I

> finally went to a well respected orthopedic surgeon. I was told

to

> try 6 weeks of physical therapy to see if that would correct my

> problem since they were not sure what it was to start with. I had

an

> MRI and the results showed that I had loose cartilage underneath

the

> kneecap. All of my symptoms and problems had questioned them to

> think that it was a meniscus tear. After my 6 weeks of therapy my

>

> SNIP

>

[Guest guest]

I am not exactly sure the technical name for it. However, i have a

friend that is an OS as well and he mentioned too...so it must be

common. It also may intell more than i think. But the reason they

are wanting to do that is because i don't have the cartliage or part

of the bone. So i don't really know. I plan on finding out my next

appointment since it keeps coming up and they have me going to the

doctor every 5 weeks. I have tried to do some research online but

have come up empty each time...

Amy

> > >

> > > I recently had surgery on my left knee, after years of

problems

> I

> > finally went to a well respected orthopedic surgeon. I was

told

> to

> > try 6 weeks of physical therapy to see if that would correct

my

> > problem since they were not sure what it was to start with. I

had

> an

> > MRI and the results showed that I had loose cartilage

underneath

> the

> > kneecap. All of my symptoms and problems had questioned them

to

> > think that it was a meniscus tear. After my 6 weeks of

therapy my

> >

> > SNIP

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> I recently had surgery on my left knee, after years of problems I

finally went to a well respected orthopedic surgeon. I was told to

try 6 weeks of physical therapy to see if that would correct my

problem since they were not sure what it was to start with. I had an

MRI and the results showed that I had loose cartilage underneath the

kneecap. All of my symptoms and problems had questioned them to

think that it was a meniscus tear. After my 6 weeks of therapy my

condition had worsened so we decided that I would have arthroscopic

surgery on August 24, 2005. The surgery, I was told would be to

clean up the cartilage and they would check for any other problems

and depending on the tilt of my knee cap, a possible lateral

release. Once I woke up in the recovery room I was in a lot of pain

and was immediately given a nerve block. At this time I was still

unaware of what exactly happened, I knew that I had the lateral

release done because I was told if I did I would wake up with an

immobilizer on. I did, as well as bandages and a machine that would

constantly ice my knee. For anyone that is about to have this

surgery I strongly recommend the ice chest that constantly ices your

knee. I was allowed to go home within the hour. During the surgery

the doctor cleaned the loose cartilage, preformed a lateral release,

performed chondroplasty, and microfracture. Underneath the knee cap

I had a surprisingly large hole in the bone and there was no

cartilage around that area. Therefore, he cleaned up the loose bone

fragments and smoothed out the area, then did microfrature to try to

make new cartilage. The first week after surgery I was in some pain

but my nerve block took a good 5 days to wear off. I was on crutches

for a week then started walking or limping with my immobilizer. I

wore the immobilizer for 6 weeks and was in therapy for 2 months. I

should technically still be in therapy however; my insurance only

covers 30 visits. I am now walking but that is about it. No running

at all, no turning around fast and no uneven ground. If I do try any

of those easy tasks, I have severe pain. I also had a complication

from either the nerve block or the turnicate during surgery. My leg

and part of my knee are still numb. I have numbness from my knee to

my upper thigh and around the inner part of my leg, which is still

unexplained and I am told it can be permanent or take years for it to

get back to normal. So at this point I am curious if that has

happened to anyone. Also what is the recovery of others that have

had a similar story…I am ready to start being active again and walk

normal without my knee going out on me. I have come close to falling

down the stairs luckily I hold onto the railing. If anyone has any

advice for me I would love to here it.

>

I had a lateral release in 2004 and I got worse, I had a

chrondoplasty august 2007, my hip and left side of my leg goes numb,

I also have burning heat in my foot, no one has ever explained what

the problem was.

[Guest guest]

What a horror story!

I had a lateral release & it took months to recover, but I didn't have any nerve

damage.

If it was me (If it were I), I'd get an opinion from another doc not at this

doc's clinic or hospital, and I'd consider suing this guy over the nerve damage.

You said numbness but you also mentioned nearly falling down the stairs.

Different nerves control sensation and motor control. Would you say you have

diminished motor control? Or is it that the numbness makes it hard for you to

automatically know where your leg is?

If you do have diminished motor control, have you noticed any return of control

at all? When nerves regenerate, it can take months or years, like they said,

but I think you should be seeing progress by now. The fact that your whole leg

isn't paralyzed is a good sign. I had an operation that resulted in the motor

nerve that controls my left forehead getting cut to the point where it was

completely paralyzed. That was in July I think. I now have about half the

function back. If a nerve is " only " partially cut, I think (but haven't done

any research on it) that there's a good chance of your recovering all your motor

control.

If it's just sensation, whether you get it back or not depends on how much of

the nerve was damaged.

Where is the pain when you try the things you mentioned?

Ann

Re: Revovery Period after chondroplasty

and Lateral release.

>

> I recently had surgery on my left knee, after years of problems I

finally went to a well respected orthopedic surgeon. I was told to

try 6 weeks of physical therapy to see if that would correct my

problem since they were not sure what it was to start with. I had an

MRI and the results showed that I had loose cartilage underneath the

kneecap. All of my symptoms and problems had questioned them to

think that it was a meniscus tear. After my 6 weeks of therapy my

condition had worsened so we decided that I would have arthroscopic

surgery on August 24, 2005. The surgery, I was told would be to

clean up the cartilage and they would check for any other problems

and depending on the tilt of my knee cap, a possible lateral

release. Once I woke up in the recovery room I was in a lot of pain

and was immediately given a nerve block. At this time I was still

unaware of what exactly happened, I knew that I had the lateral

release done because I was told if I did I would wake up with an

immobilizer on. I did, as well as bandages and a machine that would

constantly ice my knee. For anyone that is about to have this

surgery I strongly recommend the ice chest that constantly ices your

knee. I was allowed to go home within the hour. During the surgery

the doctor cleaned the loose cartilage, preformed a lateral release,

performed chondroplasty, and microfracture. Underneath the knee cap

I had a surprisingly large hole in the bone and there was no

cartilage around that area. Therefore, he cleaned up the loose bone

fragments and smoothed out the area, then did microfrature to try to

make new cartilage. The first week after surgery I was in some pain

but my nerve block took a good 5 days to wear off. I was on crutches

for a week then started walking or limping with my immobilizer. I

wore the immobilizer for 6 weeks and was in therapy for 2 months. I

should technically still be in therapy however; my insurance only

covers 30 visits. I am now walking but that is about it. No running

at all, no turning around fast and no uneven ground. If I do try any

of those easy tasks, I have severe pain. I also had a complication

from either the nerve block or the turnicate during surgery. My leg

and part of my knee are still numb. I have numbness from my knee to

my upper thigh and around the inner part of my leg, which is still

unexplained and I am told it can be permanent or take years for it to

get back to normal. So at this point I am curious if that has

happened to anyone. Also what is the recovery of others that have

had a similar story.I am ready to start being active again and walk

normal without my knee going out on me. I have come close to falling

down the stairs luckily I hold onto the railing. If anyone has any

advice for me I would love to here it.

>

I had a lateral release in 2004 and I got worse, I had a

chrondoplasty august 2007, my hip and left side of my leg goes numb,

I also have burning heat in my foot, no one has ever explained what

the problem was.