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Author Topic: second opinion please  (Read 1789 times)

Offline wilfblade

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second opinion please
« on: July 01, 2011, 01:55:37 PM »
long story short.  3 ops left knee lateral side  grade 4 arthritis.  been to see consultant who says my only option is to have a uni compartmental if pain to much (which it isnt, just rom not 100% and usual gubbins with this complaint).  quite active climber,walker, really knocked me for six.  Do not want to go down this road yet.  Does anyone know of good knee consultants in the UK who can give me a 2nd opinion, i live in the sheffield so i am prepared to travel anywhere within Uk.  Thanks in advance  Wilf
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Offline TwoBadKneesUSA

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Re: second opinion please
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2011, 04:09:58 PM »
Have you talked about an unloader brace with your doc?  Even if the pain is not bad, maybe a brace would help with ROM.  Not sure, but coiuldn't hurt to ask.
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'83 lt knee scope
'88 lt knee LR
'89 rt knee LR (6 mos. after left)
'05 rt knee scope (clean up)
7/5/07 - scope, LR left, right clean
3/19/08 - LR failed, Supartz failed
http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/index.php?topic=47974.0
8/21/08 - new OS apt
8/5/09 - TTT, LR, PFJR sched.

Offline wilfblade

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Re: second opinion please
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2011, 06:02:56 PM »
yes i asked about the unloader brace but he poo pood the idea.  Hence wanting a second opinion >:(
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Offline Vickster

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Re: second opinion please
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2011, 06:55:36 PM »
There are lots of very good knee surgeons in the UK (see here for starters http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEnotes/node/396)  - it depends a bit what you want - if to be told an unloader brace is ok, then I don't think there is a specific doctor who would do that?  Can you talk to a sports physio about a brace?  Isn't going to do any harm, I don't think you need a surgeon to get one, just cash?

If you have a lot of damage, then the cartilage repair techniques probably aren't going to be for you as they are really appropriate for small focal areas of damage not extensive damage - that's where the replacements come in unfortunately.  What is the cause of your arthritis?  Are you knock kneed at all - if so an osteotomy might buy you some time by relieving the pressure off the damaged compartment, but it's a big operation and not a panacea forever it seems.  I have lateral damage, fortunately grade 1-2, plus a scarred over focal defect and am knock kneed - after my last scope, my OS said that a distal femoral osteotomy was the next option for me to try to stave off any need for replacement bits for as long as possible.  I wasn't going to go through it (gruesome sounding op) without another opinion and this guy is probably the leading DFO OS in the UK - wrote the course on here in the info hub and has lots of info on website.

http://www.hampshireknee.co.uk/meet-the-team/principle-surgeon

Do you have private insurance (i.e. free to go elsewhere) or are you reliant on the NHS (i.e. reliant on your GP, PCT and funding restrictions)?

Are you seeing a physio and doing strengthening.  I am a cyclist, and my knee has settled right down with a lot of cycling - 50+ miles a week - just as well I really didn't fancy that op!!

Good luck :)
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Came off bike onto concrete 9/9/09
LK arthroscopy 8/2/10
Partial meniscectomy, mfx not needed - smooth scar tissue over OC lesion, shaving of lateral aspect of patella - grade III defect
2nd scope on 16/12/10, chondroplasty & Durolane jab
Cartilage damage on femur & tibia
Knee being ignored ;-)

Offline WonkeyDonkey

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Re: second opinion please
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2011, 07:00:19 PM »
Hi Wilf

I have grade 4 OA in my left knee, and after my arthroscopy in March, my OS told me that I really had a couple of choices, a PKR, an Osteotomy or to leave it as it was. The last one was not an option to me because of the pain aspect. I was told that I was too young, at 48, to have a PKR. He suggested that I read up on osteotomy, which I did. I researched it big time, reading old reports, new reports, reading this website and eventually ending up on my OS’ own website.

My OS is the one Vickster has in their post. I have asked no end of questions, all of which have been answered so that I could fully understand the answers. I searched for an OS in my local area, luckily I have 4-5 hospitals within 20 miles, and found one that I have complete confidence in.

I would suggest that if you don’t have confidence in your OS, find another one. It is always worth getting a second opinion if you are not happy with the one you have. You only have one body! I was told by my GP, that you need to have trust and have confidence in your surgeon.

Let us know how you get on.
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Offline mmrocker13

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Re: second opinion please
« Reply #5 on: September 14, 2011, 02:05:37 PM »
If your pain isn't thatr bad, why would you even consider it?

And, frankly, any doctor who's first thought is PKR! without considering conservative treatments first (unloader) and then less invasive (well, it keeps your own bits) surgeries (osteotomy) seems a mite sketchy.
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89 (age 12): Pat. dislocation, lat. meniscus tear, femoral OCD lesion
89: debridement, chondroplasty, lateral partial menisectomy
02: partial lateral menisectomy, debridement
02: microfracture
09: subtotal menisectomy, debridement, c'plasty
10: scope/debridement
10: open wedge varus DFO
13: HWR
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