MACI 4.5 weeks post op

[mlashmar]

Hi

Just wanted to compare notes with anyone who has had MACI recently.  I had my op under Mr Carrington at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore to correct a 1cm x 2cm full thickness defect in the trochlea.  Apparently the op went very well, but that is all I have heard (follow up appointment is 11 October).

So far, physio has been fairly minimal, straight leg raises, tensing the quads and bending knee to 45 degrees.  I have now been told I can take the brace off and begin walking (with crutches) and bending knee (currently able to achieve 70 degrees).  That said, the amount of walking without the brace is relatively low at the minute.  At week 6 I am due to start more strengthening exercises.  Little surprised not to be using CPM, it seems to be in most rehab guides with the exception of the Stanmore trial!

Symptom wise, the swelling has gone down a lot, but the knee is still very much swollen.  I get quite a bit of pain in the knee, at the moment it seems to be focused in the lump under the knee (where osgoods schlatters tends to occur) or to the side of the knee.  Pain had died down to relatively little until the last week.

I am on diclofenac and paracetamol to manage pain and swelling.  I bought myself one of the Aircast cryocast things, they are really good.

Let me know how you have been getting on with your experiences and whether any of this resonates with you.

Cheers

Mike

[stevejill91]

Sounds about right, i am 2 yrs post op and in 2 weeks Im getting the left knee done.

[KartBoy]

Your one sounds similar to mine, 2 x 2cm also at Stanmore but under Prof Briggs on 22nd August, here is my post-op diary http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/index.php?topic=52704. I'm now at the slightly boring stage where am walking on leg with full weight with loads of ongoing physio to rebuild the quads but too early to put excessive pressure on the graft but hopefully enough to begin/ promote hyaline cartilage formation.

Regards

Andrew