NOTES - Surgical Procedures :
ACL Reconstruction and Meniscal Transplant..HELP!! - - Posted by myrtknee94 (myrtknee94), 9 December 2004
Hello everyone,
The OS called, I am scheduled for: ACL reconstruction, menisectomy and meniscal transplant on Jan. 20th at noon. 
THIS IS ALOT OF SURGERY! 
Does anyone know what the recovery from something like this is? Realistically how long will I be out of work/off my feet? I know alot depends on the person.
To anone else who has had surgery: Is it normal to begin to doubt that you need the surgery? That maybe you can just learn to live with pain/change in lifestyle?
Any insight, encouragement, thoughts...anything is greatly appeciated!
~Kristen 
Posted by pegleg78 (pegleg78), 15 December 2004
Kristen,
I have had a medial and lateral meniscus transpant in 2001. I had the lateral meniscus transplant at the same time as a ACL revision. It was a very tough rehab for me. I had to be non weight bearing for 8 weeks and my motion was restricted to no more than 60 degrees of flexion for those 8 weeks because it is very important to give teh transplant time to heal. The rehab protoclas are so different for ACL (usually immediate weight bearing and lots of bending) and meniscus transplant (non weightbearing and motion restriction) it is tough to do them together, but it can be done.
All in all I was on crutches for 4 months after surgery. Unfortantly I develop a lot of scar tissue and needed a manipulation and debridment to gain my motin back.
It has been a very long road and while I was going throuhg it I doubted it I should have done it, but now, a year alfter my last surgery I am very glad I did it. It was well worth it.
Let me know if you have any more questions. Make sure you have a surgeon who is experianced in meniscus transplants, it is a technical surgery which requires a lot of skill and ask lots of questions. You may be able to get a list of his patiens who have ahd similar surgery so you can talk to them.
Good Luck
Melanie
Posted by myrtknee94 (myrtknee94), 21 December 2004
Melanie~
Thank you so much for your post! It is really helpful to hear from someone who has had a transplant. Was there alot of pain when you had both procedures done? I have spoken to my OS and I have great confidence in him. He is the director of the western new york cartilage restoration center, I'm so glad I'm with him!
Do you have any ideas on excercises that I can do in the meantime (over the next month) to strengthen my leg? Is there anything I should avoid doing?
It is very encouraging to hear that you had a good outcome (after alot of hard work of course!). I just got fit for my IROM brace today....it is quite beastly looking!
~Kristen
Updated Thu Apr 29 2010
