KNEE ARTHRITIS - Cartilage plug transfer :

OATS UPDATE - - Posted by violin1 (mj/usa), 29 October 2002



It is just 6 weeks since my OATS operation and today I had the long-awaited check-up with my OS.  
NO MORE CPM, NO MORE BRACE!!! And weight-bearing as much as I can manage AND wean myself off the crutches in the next 10 days!!!!
I am so thrilled with this progress that I think I might just go for the champagne (or just a bottle of beer) tonight.

He also said that the graft looked fine, that if it were going to fail, it would have by now and I would know it because of the pain and swelling (I have neither!!! )

I start physio tomorrow, I wonder how my knee will like that!!!!

To all my electronic friends, thanks for your support !!!
Take care and good luck
Posted by Linds (Linds), 29 October 2002

SO happy to hear that you are doing well MJ, that's awesome. I hope it continues to go well..And you get off those crutches soon. I HATE crutches. Remember when you were a kid and you loved to play on crutches?
what was with that..
I hope that you do well in PT and that it comes around for you. Keep us posted on your progress take care
Hugs and healing
Linds
Posted by hmaxwell (Heather M.), 29 October 2002

MJ,

That's fantastic news!!!  I'm so happy that things are going well for you.  Only 6 weeks post-op and limited pain and swelling are really incredible.

Where was your defect, and how big was it?  It would be really helpful to know for anyone considering OATs treatment.  I've been told it's not an option for me because the damage is on my patella....still, I love to hear success stories!

Congratulations.

Heather
Posted by martiniswiller (martiniswiller), 30 October 2002

MJ,
I am just so thrilled for you- only smooth sailing from here on out.  You deserve it!!

Lesley
Posted by violin1 (mj/usa), 30 October 2002

Hi Linds, Heather and Lesley!

Thanks for your kind words;  I am on my way to the physio this morning and feeling kind off woozy about. I can manage ok on 1 crutch, but there is NO WAY that I could possibly walk without that!  The knee just buckles right away.  No quad strength, I guess...Ah well, that's what physio is for!
About the defect:  I have 2, the one on the medial femoral condyle was 1 cm squared and sat right in the middle. That's the one that was grafted using the OATS procedure.  My OS showed me the pictures yesterday--it was really impressive. The other defect is about 2 cm squared and is on the underside of the patella,  it can't be fixed using the OATS technique.  But, for some strange reason, it has never caused any problems.  My pain was always along the medial joint line, never patellar.  I asked about that too, my OS said not to worry about it as long as it didn't hurt, that was fine.  I gather it is not very deep  (the other was a full-thickness defect), maybe that's why it is asymptomatic.  Let's hope it stays that way!!!!
Cheers and take care
Mary Jane
Posted by cray (cray), 21 May 2003

Hi,
I'm waiting for authorization for a O.A.T.S. What is a CPM?
Posted by martiniswiller (martiniswiller), 24 May 2003

Hi Clay,
CPM is, I believe, a Continuous Passive Motion machine.  When I had my OATS surgery, I was on it every day for 4 weeks, as long as I could stand, at least 6 hours per day (other people have had to do this for alot less time, it varies with each OS).  It was a huge machine, you strap your leg into from hip to foot and it slowly flexes and extends your leg.  I lived for Crossword Puzzles and Television, because you can't do much else.  You kind of have to recline.  Other people lay in bed with it.  
Good luck with your surgery.  If you have any questions, please feel free to IM me, I am more than happy to share my experiences.

Lesley

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