Surgery for a Plica?

[Surgeon2Be]

I'm having surgery for the suprapatellar plica in my right knee and I'm 16. Can you please share your experiences with me on how the surgery went and post-op. I would also like to know how long it might put me out of soccer and how long I need to go to PT for. Thanks in advance!

[Mandy]

Hi there~

My first surgery on my knee was a plica excision.  Definitely not too bad of a procedure.  I had spinal anesthetic, as I hate general anesthesia & I wanted to watch the surgery as it happend on a video screen (I'm an Athletic Training major).  Surgery was fairly quick, compared to my other procedures....maybe under and hour.  Unfortunately I had to stay a bit longer in the surgery center than expected because my lower body just wouldn't wake up quickly from the anesthetic.  All went well, and I was home within several hours of the procedure.

After surgery, I just had an ACE wrap and an ice pack on my knee.  At the dressing change, I had two scope holes that were covered with steri-strips (my OS sutured with internal stitches).  Started PT a couple of days post op and mainly worked on ROM and controlling swelling right away.  Strengthening came a bit later. 

Unfortunately there's no magic formula that tells you when you'll be back to playing soccer.  I played very competitive hockey during my surgery. Now, I didn't get to skate until I was maybe 1.5 months post op.  I never returned to hockey that year as I had some difficulties getting my strength back, and I actually needed more done to my knee than just the plica removed. 

Please let me know if you have any other questions!!

Best of luck to you!
~Mandy

[Surgeon2Be]

Thanks Mandy I have read a lot online about plica surgeries gone wrong and how the pain never goes away. Do you still have pain from time to time(at least after the plica excision and before everything else)? Also for the surgery, it's arthroscopic so is there going to be any huge incisions? Not that I mind a cool scar, but my brother has them everywhere from all of his 6 surgeries and I don't want that. How many weeks did you go to PT for, and do you still wear a knee brace during sports? And lastly, do they always do internal stitches?

Thanks again!

(How long were you on crutches? I cannot stand them!)

[Mandy]

Hi there!

Not sure if I'm actually a good example, but I'll let you know my experience.   I'm always in pain with my knees, but that isn't because of the plica.  One of my previous surgeons messed up a procedure he performed and now I'm left with osteoarthritis in my knee.  I had some pain after surgery while I was still rehabbing, but again that wasn't from the plica itself....it was more due to the fact that my patellas were maltracking and messing with the undersurface of my patella.

As far as the incisions go, they are jus two little holes and not a big inscision.  I don't mind my scars now, but there was a time I was bothered by them so I understand that you don't want them!  Here's a picture of my knee after my plica excision: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10781788@N05/970967567/in/set-72157601136650311/.  The actual scope holes are the ones with tape over them.  The small purple dots are marker that my OS and his student drew, don't sure why!  The internal stitching was just what my surgeon does.  Surgeons vary on what they do.  Most I would think use internal stitches and cover the outside in steri-strips.  Other surgeons will just use stitches that need to be removed.
 
For PT, I've continuously been in PT on and off over the years.  I think I was consistantly in formal PT for a few weeks if not months.  I was allowed to start skating for hockey when I was around 6 weeks post op, I think.  However, I wasn't able to get back full time to competing, so I just focused on rehab to build my quads up for my patella realignment surgery, which was almost 3 months after the plica excision. 

I wear a brace right now anytime I'm up and around.  However, this is an unloader brace for my arthritis, until I get my knee fixed in late May.  After my plica surgery, I wore a brace called a Breg PTo when I was doing PT or working out.  That was for my patella issues.  Most people after a plica removal don't require bracing.  Are you bracing right now?

Don't worry about crutches.  Assuming you just have the plica removed, you'll be off of them in no time.  I had surgery on a Friday, and was probably off crutches 100% by Wednesday of that next week.  I started to stop using them over the weekend, but brought them back to school with me, just for protection in the halls. 

Hope that answers your questions!  Let me know if there are any others!
~Mandy

[Surgeon2Be]

Thanks sooo much! I have never had any surgery or anything, but have had terrible knee pain since I dislocated my knee when I was 7. I'm only 16, but the pain never goes away and I hope they figure out what's really wrong with it. I'm supposed to be wearing a brace for sports now, but it gets really annoying so I take it off(usually regret it after). Thanks for all the info and pic you showed me. I will have to get back to you after I have my surgery

Thanks again 

[Surgeon2Be]

Mandy,
Did you experience any numbness before your surgery? I'm having a plica removed and my lateral meniscus stitched up, but my OS is concerned about the numbness that runs nearly all the way to my hip. I also pulled my hammie and thigh in the accident if that helps. It lasts anywhere from 10 minutes to a couple of hours and occurs at any time. Could this be just a pinched nerve or some serious lower back issues? I asked my doctor and he said he'll take a look during the arthroscopy.
Thanks in advance

[Mandy]

Hi!

I never had any numbness before my plica surgery.  I do have numbness on the lateral sides of my inscisions from my realignments, but that's due to the nerves that were cut during surgery.  I'm getting some feeling back into some regions, but others I can't feel.  Sorry I don't have any input on this.  It's definitely good that you've mentioned it to your OS.  Do you know if he's concerned about the issue?

[Surgeon2Be]

The doctor's assistant was talking to me about my knee and I brought up the numbness that runs down my leg. He looked really concerned and tried several tests to see the strength in my foot which didn't turn out good. He then got the doctor and told him about it and the doctor immediately said that he wanted to do arthroscopy. I haven't really had any back problems being only 16, but got charley horsed extremely hard on my hip in gym a few months ago that made my whole leg go numb for 4 days. I could barely get off the floor it was so numb, but that probably doesn't have anything to do with the numbness now because that was in like dec. or jan.
So will it be alittle numb after surgery because of the incisions?

[Pulse]

I had my plica removed one week ago, it all went without pain at all. I spend 5 days in hospital. One day before operation. Operation day, the next day I was able to go wih crutches. On the 2nd day I was able to go with one crutche, same on 3rd day. On 4th day I was able to go without crutches. After a week I was able to safety drive a car. No pain after surgery! I will leave hospital on 2nd day when I will have my second knee operated. This is how my knee looked on day 5th - http://www.mwsoft.pl/marek/kolanko2.jpg
No numbness after and before operation.

[Surgeon2Be]

thanks for sharing Pulse How long did your OS say it would be before you return to competitive sports (or normal day activities, which ever).

[Pulse]

He said that it will take 3 weeks!

[Surgeon2Be]

Pulse,
It looks like you have stitches on the outside of your thigh in the picture. Did you have something else done along with the plica excison?

[Pulse]

it's from drain, there was a small straw for about 20 hours to remove lotion from the knee it's normal procedure here. Every even small operation irritates kee and more lotion is produced and it should be removed. I have a picture of it and can attach if you want to

[Surgeon2Be]

thanks can you post the picture?

[Pulse]

just after
http://www.pulse.neostrada.pl/knee0.jpg
after night
http://www.pulse.neostrada.pl/knee1.jpg
taking off the drain and bandage
http://www.pulse.neostrada.pl/knee2.jpg