TruFit OBI recovery...please help

[JenniferLeanne]

Hey guys,

I had an operation 5 and a half weeks ago with the OBI Trufit on my right knee, lateral femoral condyle.  I was told non-weight bearing for 6 weeks, which are almost up.  I go to see my surgeon for a post-op exam on Thursday.  Can anyone give me an idea on what to expect?  I'm slightly concerned cause I'm getting married in 3 weeks and want to be able to walk, not hobble, down the aisle.  Thanks!

[kearves]

Everyone is different,i am 5 months post op im a 28yr old female and had 2 trufit plugs 7mm and 11mm medial femoral right condyle.I am struggling on .I have reduced pain and swelling when doing non weight bearing exercise but still pain when weight bearing ie. walking and still use a crutch.can you let me know how your getting on as its hard finding peole who have had this surgery and recovery i ride my exercise bike which is helping alot. all the best.

[emilylauren]

Hi, I'd like to talk to those who have have been through the TruFit OBI surgery. I'm am or was a very very athletic athlete and pretty scared about having such surgery.  My significant other thinks I should try cell therapy out in Denver before having this surgery.  Also has anyone had this surgery done at the Hosp for Special Surgery in NYC? Would really appreciate your feedback.
Thanks.
twenty6seven at yahoo.com
Emily Lauren

[gronkjaer]

Update 5/17/07...9 months post-op.  Frankly, I was struggling.  I was continually hitting the point of soreness and irritation by just riding the exercise bike.  I was concerned that the situation was becoming chronic.  Last Friday, we scoped the knee to get a real look at the status of the plug.  Surprisingly, everything looked pretty good.  The original 7mm plug was about half covered with new cartilage.  There is still a discernable 3.5mm area that needs to grow in.  My OS feels that it will take another 6 - 9 months.  There was a few edges around the plug that needed a trim too.  OS wants me to ride the bike for 15 min/day for 6 weeks with minimal resistance to help the restoration process without irritating it.     

Hi, I'm also struggling here 9 months post-op from the trufit operation. I wonder when you say you are hitting the point of soreness and irritation, is that the same type of pain that you had in your knee before the operation .

[gronkjaer]

Update 5/17/07...9 months post-op.  Frankly, I was struggling.  I was continually hitting the point of soreness and irritation by just riding the exercise bike.  I was concerned that the situation was becoming chronic.  Last Friday, we scoped the knee to get a real look at the status of the plug.  Surprisingly, everything looked pretty good.  The original 7mm plug was about half covered with new cartilage.  There is still a discernable 3.5mm area that needs to grow in.  My OS feels that it will take another 6 - 9 months.  There was a few edges around the plug that needed a trim too.  OS wants me to ride the bike for 15 min/day for 6 weeks with minimal resistance to help the restoration process without irritating it.     

Hi, I'm also struggling here 9 months post-op from the trufit operation. I wonder when you say you are hitting the point of soreness and irritation, is that the same type of pain that you had in your knee before the operation .

Anyone else

[telemarkerSteve]

I had a bad outcome with the single OBI plug that I had put in 4/2008. 

I was in for a partial meniscectomy and the OS found a full thickness articular cartilage defect around 7mm in size on the lateral femoral condyle (I think).  The MRI really hadn't given any indication of this problem, so the OS went on his own judgement  and stuck an OBI plug in there.  In retrospect, from what I've heard about the plugs I would have gone along with  trying the plug in any case.  Unfortunately, since I was in for a meniscectomy, I came to the hospital with all the information for that procedure and it's rehab.  In fact, I have no recollection of being told that there was a cartilage plug while I was in the hospital or that I should modify my plans for activity and rehab.  The OS claims that he told me about it and I forgot because of after effects of the anesthesia. In any case,  I walked out of the hospital with no idea that I wasn't supposed to follow my meniscetomy instructions so I walked with a cane from day 1 and was on the stationary bike the day after surgery.  It wasn't until my 3 week follow-up that I found out this was inappropriate, but the OS said it probably hadn't really mattered much because the defect was relatively small and in a non-weight bearing area.  The X-ray showed the plug more or less intact and in place at that time.  My rehab subsequent to that went OK and the OS cleared me for a return to full activity in 11/2008.   I had mild swelling with activity after that but still skied most of the season without pain or substantial swelling.  Then in 8/2009 I did some actual impact stuff and had substantial swelling so I got an MRI with a different doctor (I had moved) and the MRI showed no real bone or cartilage regrowth in place of the plug.

So in my case, the OBI plug was a complete failure.

Hope you have better luck and I have heard good things about the plugs but my experience, well, sucked.

Steve

[gronkjaer]

Its already going better!! i got a surgery last wednesday because they thought i had a meniscus injury, but i didnt. they could tell me that the original 2 trufit's 15 mm & 20 mm. plugs is now apprx. 5-6 mm, so good regrowth they told me ! So they did a little clean up in the knee, and thats it. But now i am more optimistic. im now 13 months post op. and i can see in this forum that some people is first fully recovered in apprx. 18-24 months. Counting on skiing this next year Feb.2010 Good luck to you all.

[PieceDesigner]

Gronkjaer, that is good to know. I am almost 3 months on my TruFit plug, and doing well.

Nan

[gronkjaer]

PieceDesigner, I was very undoubtful about the plugs until apprx. 10 months post op. Now its, like im feeling better ! I can really feel the heeling now, but still i got long way, before the heeling is perfect !! The doctor's say its heeling perfectly, it just need more time !

[PieceDesigner]

Time....  I am trying to be patient, because I know it will take a long time to be fully healed, but... it's hard to be patient. 

My plug site feels pretty strong, and very little pain. Just an achey kind of feeling.  I sometimes completely forget I had any work done there, it feels that good. I had MFX in another area, and that is still giving me problems, but the plug area is fine.

Good luck, and continued healing.

Nan

[gronkjaer]

Yes, thats right, TIME !! It feels like a lifetime, but i'm now seeing and end to it, though i know i still need to wait another 1/2 year !

It's good/nice to have some response, regarding this injury, as of now you are the only one, who have a similar injury as me, i have spoke to yet. My god that sounded cryptic. I'm from Denmark, so i hope i'm excused, as my english is not that good !

My story line have beed 1-3 months pretty good.
3-5 months. ok. but nothing new could bike and MTB.
6-9 months ok but nothing new no advance, i had my worries !! could not understand why it was not going more forward.
9-10 months knee feeling bad ! i thought it has gone the wrong way, but it was checked and all good. ! Only a little to much exercise ! Biking !
11-13 months feel alright and to the better side! but can't run yet.
13-? Well lets see but i'm optimistic now !

[PieceDesigner]

You have had progress, plateaus, and setbacks, but hopefully it's all progress from here on. Stay Optimistic!

I feel I've progressed quite well with the Plug.  The arthritis and MFX in the other area tend to overshadow things, though.  I've written in 2 other posts.  You might check them out:

http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/index.php?topic=47887.0

http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/index.php?topic=48543.0

Nan