I am a 35 yr old very active female. I have undergone 3 operations on my left knee in the last 7 months and am at my wits end. In may 2011, while practicing a dance routine at home for an exercise program I teach, I felt something pop in my left knee. After going to the urgent care, I ended up at my orthopedic surgeon...who did ordered an MRI which showed Grade 4 osteoarthritis...We did 2 rounds of cortisone shots, which did nothing ...then he scoped it to clean out the arthritis. In august 2011, I was having major issues with swelling...had to have my knee drained of fluid...at that time doc thought it was time to discuss PFJR. We decided I would go ahead with it to get relief from the pain on the front of my knee...
So on October 28, 2011...the PFJR went ahead as scheduled... after the procedure the doc told my parents everything went well...and also explained that I have trochlear dysplasia...or flat trochleas. That evening, the nurses got me up to go to the bathroon, and as I swung my legs over the side of the bed... my newly operated on knee went out, up and left... thank god for the femoral nerve block, because I didnt feel most of it. I felt it a little...and I definitely saw what it did. The nurses just said, "oh its just swelling!" 2 days later I was released... and the knee continued to do that subluxing...during the home therapy, and when I started outpatient PT... it totally freaked the therapists out!... By mid December it was NO better, at that time it was determined that something else needed to be done.
So on December 20, 2011...I was admitted to outpatient surgery center, where I underwent an open lateral release and medial reefing. Again doc came out told my folks everything went fine...no maltracking or subluxing. Then I go to PT on January 9. 2012...im excited because everything seemed well... and I went into full extension, and my knee did it AGAIN!
I went to the doc again on January 13, 2012... and upon walking in the room he kinda threw his hands up and said, I dont know what else I can do? He did more xrays... came back and said, "You have 4 options, 1...Do nothing, 2...wear the post op braced locked for 3 weeks and be stiff, 3... wear this ohter crappy brace that did nothing(i tried that option), and 4...MPFL reconstruction." I left that appt sooooooo... frustrated...that I felt it was time for 2nd opinion!...
So I made an appointment with a differentOS in Milwaukee, and was in his office for 3 hours! He did XRAYS, and upon viewing them and examining me... h said that the MPFLr would be useless... he also said my original OS treated my arthritis but NEVER treated my instability issues... He explained that the pop I felt in may, was my knee giving out on me. I have decided to continue treatment with the new OS, and a different more hands on approach for therapy, with a new highly regarded physical therapist in the milwaukee area. New doctor sayshe wants to get my leg and hip muscles strong again before we think about cutting me a 4th time. He said tibial tubercle osteotomy is one option, and another option is the total knee replacement. Anyone else have any ideas? Has anyone had the tibial tubercle osteotomy, and what does it all entail? recovery time, hospital stay???
Thanks,
Annemarie
