PLC specialist in Vancouver Canada?

[DCoyle]

Hi I'm looking for a experience PLC specialist in Vancouver, Canada. or in Canada?
Does anyone have any recommendations?
Thanks a lot.

God bless all you on KG.

 

[jess8181]

Let me tell you this is not an easy task, I've been searching for months to find someone familar with anything other than acl and the surgeons i do find are not taking new patients. I'm on the East Coast so you may have more options out there. Please if you find someone can you let me know:)

many thanks

Jessica

[DCoyle]

I will do Jessica, how are you making out of your situation?
Hang in there, I'm with you with I find anything.

[lenorem9]

Hi DCoyle,

Search these boards for Mookie.  She is in the Vancouver area and can tell you of good and bad OS for PLC.  I'm not sure if she's still on here much but I know she looked for a long time after one OS screwed her up really bad.  I think she's doing much better now with a new OS.

Good luck.  Hope you find some resolution to your problems.  It's no fun for sure.

Lenore

[jess8181]

Lenore is right, Mookie is in Vancouver and also Amazonian, if you search for those two names but I'm not sure if they come here anymore. My situation is terrible. I developed terrible scar tissue from a multiligament injury. I had surgery to replace the 3 ruptured ligaments a week later, apparently my old surgeon is the only one capable of performing this sugery in all of Quebec. Unfortunately his post op methods are not the best and I developed AF.  I started looking in Ontario for a new OS and found several that would be able to sort this out but everytime I tried to book an appointment the secretary would call and say that the Dr. is going to take patients from Ontario before they take me and there are just too many. I was told it could be 2 or more years just for an appointment. Anyhow I will keep looking and let ya know if I find anything!!

Jess

[DCoyle]

Jess that is terrible that is happening to you. Are you able to walk all now or go to work? Have you considered looking at going to the states to find a good surgeon for AF? It is frustrating that even though it might come down to that, because of finances and time off work, and starting a mortgage this year I don't think I realisitically have that option.

I wish I can help you, all I can do is wish you all the luck in the world!

I know my knee is still messed from that ACL recon, but I'm able to walk and go to work I work in an office. I get an MRI tomorrow to confirm the posteral lateral corner damage and my OS appointment with the original surgeon got bumped up to April 30. Hopeful to find a correct diagnosis and maybe a little closer.

On another note I watched the movie Castway the other day and I can't believe but feel that us with knee problems are like Chuck in that movie, casted off on an island, without apparent hope, and finding a way everyday to survive and hopeful to return to the ordinary world one day.

Chuck's line stuck with me:

I had power over *nothing*. And that's when this feeling came over me like a warm blanket. I knew, somehow, that I had to stay alive. Somehow. I had to keep breathing. Even though there was no reason to hope. And all my logic said that I would never see this place again. So that's what I did. I stayed alive. I kept breathing. And one day my logic was proven all wrong because the tide came in, and gave me a sail. And now, here I am. I'm back. In Memphis, talking to you. I have ice in my glass... And I've lost her all over again. I'm so sad that I don't have Kelly. But I'm so grateful that she was with me on that island. And I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?

[jess8181]

Hey DCoyle

Thanks for the Cast Away comparison......it certainly does feel that way sometimes and the truth is that we do need to keep moving forward in hopes of a better tomorow.

As for work, I worked in retail which required me to be on my feet 8 hours a day so I'm unable to do that now, its funny the things that we take for granted in life. I never much thought about my knees or how and why they function before now. I am going to make an appointment wich an AF specialist in Boston, even if I can't afford surgery there I can at least get an evaluation and see what needs to be done, then try and find someone here in Canada to do it.

I'm glad you can get around alright for work that is definately positive, by the sounds of it you will end up just fine as long as you get the right doctor and diagnosis. Let me knoe how your visit goes.

PS
Before my accident I was getting ready to move to Vancouver........I love it there!!!


Jess

[DCoyle]

Well I had the doc visit, the MRI did not show anything PLC damage, he did a few quick tests and said there was nothing. I really don't think he wanted to find anything at all. He suggested to take some drugs for the nerve and pain, but it's not really going to fix the problem...he also suggested a few other surgeons to get a second opinion if I want to pursue it, but that he won't refer me and I'll have to go back to the family doctor to start this all over again...

I guess my search continues while the knee gets worse?

How have you been? I hope you're doing better!

DCoyle

[Mookie11]

Hey Dcoyle!!!

I received a message on facebook from Lenore. She asked me to come on board here with some advice for you. I've been searching around here for some posts to see where things really stand with you and what happened to your knee but I haven't been able to find anything.

I will tell you that the best guys for the job in Vancouver are near on impossible to get into. They are both affiliated with UBC Sports Mecidine. One is named Dr. Simon Horlick (yes ignore his last name hahah). He is at a specialists referral clinic as is his counterpart Dr. Brian Day, who is also head of the North American Orthopedic Association, I believe.

http://www.specialistclinic.ca/specialists.php

However, the fellow who has been most instrumental in getting me back into the game has been on Vancouver Island. His name is Dr. Chris Cameron and he actually did his residency back in the day with Dr. Simon Horlick. They are quite well acquainted with each other and speak very highly of one another. Dr. Cameron does not have a website that I know of but his practice is in Nanaimo. He is the one whom I would credit with making things as good as they can be. It has taken 3 years and a lot of effort but I am back into hiking and have even started to try to play a bit of badminton.

I have also had the good fortune of meeting, by hazard, the Canadian Olympic Ski Team Orthopod. While I was volunteeing at the Olympics I met this fellow and had some very good conversations with him. He too sang the praises of both Dr. Cameron and Dr. Horlick. He said if I was to have been operated on by anyone, I could not have found better in North America for the PLC/PCL etc. He practices out of an office in Kelowna, actually and his name is Dr. Jack Oliver. I am certain he too would be an excellent choice, albeit a bit out of the way.

I hope this information helps. I'd be pleased to discuss this further with you. I will check back to see if you've left any responses.

All the best,

Candace

[DCoyle]

Thanks lenorem9 and Mookie for replying so quickly...thank god for this site.

There was always tightness and I think scar tissue at the corner before surgery, I couldn't properly straighten and lock it out.

Now I'm about 5 months out from ACL reconstruction on the right leg. If I try to resume a normal gait and put some full weight on it the surgical leg, it feels like the shin wants to turn outwards. I have difficulty standing for a long time on it, and I'm very afraid to go down stairs or hills. It doesn't hyperextend, in fact it is still slightly short of full extension. I can sorta of screw it home straight with my hands if I lie down, but as soon as I bend it and try to go back to straight it doesn't bulge and I get pain at the back of the knee, sometimes I get the nerve pain on that lateral side.

I've been managing with trying to "tuck in" the corner by tensing the hamstring on the corner, and also keeping my foot lifted up and stiff. Most of the time I just avoid any uneven ground or hills.

As my knee problem is somewhat vague, I'm a little unsure of what to do...continue with physio in hopes of it getting better or look into this with another surgeon?? My surgeon did suggest Dr Horlick, Dr Robert McCormack, or Dr. Bob Regan if I want to pursue this...

Any advice with what a PLC injury feels like? My LCL is still intact, just seems like the popiteal tendon or something in there isn't holding it Or this just a matter of a rehabbing an ACL with a hamstring missing on the other side?

Aaahhh....questions....

[lenorem9]

Thanks for responding Mookie.  Hopefully this will help others in Vancouver area too.  Always good to know the best docs in an area. 

Dcoyle, sounds like you have a complicated situation that needs a really experienced OS.  I'm betting you have more than one thing going on.  MRI's don't always show everything and sometimes don't show anything even when there is an obvious problem.

As far as the PLC and what it feels like...you'll probably get  a different answer from each person here.  Most had other injuries combined so it's hard to tell what part was the PLC and what part was other injuries.  Mostly for me it was instability.  I didn't have much pain but I'd reach down to pick something up and all of a sudden I'd be sitting on the ground.  The knee would just give out and collapse. 

Have you read the PLC course at the top of these boards?  It's a great course and very descriptive of doing an assessment on the PLC to determine stability.  Has your OS done all of those manual tests on you?  The damage should be pretty obvious if he has. 

If you've had scar tissue problems in the past that may be causing other issues too.  Check the arthrofibrosis boards for more info there.  Scar tissue can hurt and pull your knee in all different directions. If not diagnosed/treated you may be in for even more problems.  It's very important to find someone familiar with arthrofibrosis if this is the case.   

Either way I'd recommend getting a second opinion from one of the good docs Mookie recommended.  It never hurts to hear what another OS will say.  He  might be the guy that straightens you out (literally) and gives you your life back again.  What do you have to lose?

Most of all I guess I'd say if you think something is still wrong with your knee then you need to continue asking questions and pushing for answers.  Sometimes PT will correct problems but often there are conditions ignored or undiagnosed that cause permanent damage.  Many of us here have had one OS tell us we are fine only to find out later on damage was already done because of undiagnosed problems.  Finding that one OS and PT you trust is crucial to your recovery. 

Good luck and let us know how you make out. 

Lenore