Meniscus :
Cartilage Transplant Questions, HELP??? - - Posted by galaxyrigging (galaxyrigging), 12 May 2004
Hello,
I injured my knee in 2001, since then I have had 4 surgeries with no success in eliminating any pain or severe locking.
I have been told that I am a candidate for a cartilage transplant since I am only 25 (half the age for a knee replacement). I am now on a donor list. 
How long do people usually wait for cartilage donor? (I understand that there are many circumstances involved I am just looking for a ballpark figure)
How long are you down, realistically? (like most people here I have to work to make a living and I am trying to prepare as much as possible)
Do I have to take anti-rejection drugs? If so how long? The donor cartilage will be from a deceased person, not from myself.
Any and all help would be appreciated.
Posted by dm (dm), 14 May 2004
the only question I think I have an answer to is the one about rejections. People who have acl allografts - cadaver donor - don't have to take anti rejection meds, so I dont believe you would either. Meniscal transplant donor parts would be treated the same way they treat acl grafts, etc, as far as I know. Havent had one myself, but did some reading.
Posted by robknee (robknee), 16 May 2004
As far as I know, you have to be a perfect candidate for meniscal transplant.
Articular cartilage damage must be limited or not at all.
good luck
Posted by alex1973 (alex1973), 20 July 2004
I understand that there is only a limited chance of rejection as there is very little blood flow in the cartilege - except in the outer core, which they remove.
Posted by allstardiva2005 (allstardiva2005), 23 July 2004
yeah i'm having an exploratory scope next month to determine if i have medial compartment overload and would thus need the meniscus transplant. i'm only 17.
anyways, i go to the redwings, lions, and tigers surgeon and she told me it'll take 3-4 months to have a CT scan performed to measure the knee dimensions, then find a graft fitting those dimensions, obtaining the graft, and then you can have the surgery.
my scope is the 20th, and if i do need the transplant she said that surgery would be around christmas. and the meniscus transplant has no chance of rejection. she also said that the surgery is prolly a lil worse then an ACL reconstruction. so if i had the surgery around christmas, i should be almost 100% recovery wise by the summer.
i hope that helps- i haven't actually had the surgery so i don't know these things for sure...this is just what my surgeon told me would happen if i needed it...
xoxo- Christy
Posted by galaxyrigging (galaxyrigging), 27 July 2004
Thank you everyone. Some have said ask your doctor, but if you only knew you would understand. I am now 26. I have been excepted on the donor list after all the measuring, so I have been told. I am now just waiting for a donor. allstardiva2005 keep me posted on your progress.
Posted by galaxyrigging (galaxyrigging), 5 September 2004
Still waiting 
Does anyone have information on how long you waited for this surgury to take place? How about how many of these are done in a year?
Had a doctors visit yesturday, resupply of pain killers and a handicap parking tag. I almost cried... I am to young to be handicaped and I am tired of pain killers that mask the problem.
Posted by sestiles (sestiles), 10 September 2004
I had ACL Reconstruction (Patella autograft) and Medial Meniscus repair in 1997. Back in March of this year I had the ACL removed and a partial Meniscus removal. I've been on the donor list since the end of March and have had no news. They originally told me 2 - 4 months on average; 3- 6 months at the outside most. I'm now at 6 months and waiting.
These days every time the phone rings I'm looking for it to be the Doctor's office, but all I get is disappointment.
Posted by galaxyrigging (galaxyrigging), 10 September 2004
sestiles keep me updated, good luck and hope you get taken care of soon. I guess I have a while to wait then. Your not military by chance are you?
Posted by allstardiva2005 (allstardiva2005), 11 September 2004
Hey everyone-
I had posted earlier about the possibility I would need this procedure. Well, my surgeon removed the majority of my medial meniscus leaving only 35% of my anterior medial meniscus left- so not much at all. Its almost been a month since surgery, and I'm still incredibly achy/sore in the medial side and in quite a bit of pain. My surgeon said if in 6-8 weeks, things didn't improve- I'd prolly need the meniscus transplant.
So I see her on the 30th of this month, and hopefully get on the donor list. Hopefully I could have the surgery during one of my school breaks- Christmas or mid-winter since its my senior year and I wanna enjoy it!
Sestiles, are you in the US or England (or somewhere else?). I sure hope you get a donor meniscus asap!!
xoxo- Christy
Posted by andrewc (AndrewC), 11 September 2004
Hey there......
I have heard quite a lot about the meniscus transplant and have heard it is a major procedure that does not always produce good results.....Christy.....you make it sound like a walk in the park!!
I'm really not trying to put a downer on things but.....
It is still in its infancy so if a surgeon has given you the impression you will be A1 for sports again in the near future this is contrary to a lot of expert opinions I have heard....
Posted by galaxyrigging (galaxyrigging), 11 September 2004
Hello,
AndrewC .... I am in need of the cartilidge transplant too. I have heard both good and bad but have never met anyone with actual results.
But for me, if this procedure would help cure just half the pain or locking problems I would be extremely happy. I am half the age for the recommended knee replacement and have been told if I got one today that I would not have a leg when I am 50-60 yrs old. So I have nothing to lose right now and hope this is a good thing, the cartilidge transplant.
On the bad side too, a few years back two college football players in Minniapolis had this surgury and died!
Posted by sestiles (sestiles), 11 September 2004
galaxyrigging...nope...not military
allstardiva2005...United States-Denver, Colorado
...and still waiting...I was hoping that posting on the board would have exercised my donor list demons and I would have received the call today...no such luck.
Posted by andrewc (AndrewC), 11 September 2004
Hi there Galaxyrigging
I see exactly where your coming from as you say you have nothing to lose ...except the pain and locking!!
Meniscus transplant definately sounds a good route for you to go......especially relating to the fact you have been told if you had a TKR at your age you would have no leg by 60ish.....scary stuff 
The links below are not exactly personal results from people who have had the op but are the results of scientific studies...and are quite interesting.
http://www.casebook.kneeguru.co.uk/index.php/knee/issues/meniscal_transplant_who_will_benefit/
http://www.saks.nu/meniscus.htm
All the best
Posted by allstardiva2005 (allstardiva2005), 11 September 2004
AndrewC- yeah I definately know its not a walk in the park- but right now i'd give about anything to walk again much less run. i used to run track, but its been a year since i've been able to run so my goal isn't to get back to sports. its to walk and be a regular person in that aspect again- and to be able to return to work. Thanks for the links tho -I'm gonna go take a look at those.
I know the type of surgery is in the beginning stages and not something regular like an ACL reconstruction, but like i said above, i'd give almost anything or try most anything to walk and be normal. I'm only 17, so this is pretty much my only option to get 'fixed.' And yeah it'll be worse then my 5 other surgeries, but I really really wanna get this surgery outta the way before I leave for college b/c crutching around huge campuses (hopefully for me, university of michigan) will be such a pain. lol.
xoxo- Christy
Posted by Amanda (Amanda), 10 October 2004
When you say you won't have a leg - do you mean it would have to be amputated? Why?
Posted by andrewc (AndrewC), 11 October 2004
Amanda
I think what galaxyrigging means (correct me if I'm wrong Galaxyrigging) is that as he is only 25 years old....and the minimum recommended age for a knee relacement is 50years old......his leg would wear down to an arthritic mess if he was to have a TKR or Unicompartmental KR at his age. They only last a finite amount of time anyway (10 -15years*sometimes longer depending on the success of the op and the amount of activity a person does in their lifestyle)
Also, it's not just a case of "get another fitted!" TK Revisions are notoriously difficult and have a tendancy to not go very well.....
Hope that helps
Posted by galaxyrigging (galaxyrigging), 12 October 2004
Hello everyone... I am still waiting with no idea when I might be able to get the transplant.
As for the question of the TKR, I was told at best that each TKR would last approx 15 years at best, and that the maxium TKR is 2 and a thrid is very unlikely.
When they do a TKR they cut out so much bone, the new knee is attached to that bone. After the years go by the bone deteriates and a new TKR must be done. The second TKR is larger than the first, both in length and width so even good bone as well as the bad bone may be cut away to fit the second TKR and the same for subsequent more TKR's.
The other is my size, I am a medium to large size male, I have alot of mass. Like a foot ball player and I don't mean the front line. This in itself the doctor told me makes a knee replace more more likely to wear out.
So a TKR is a real possibility in the future but they are trying to extend it to at least 25 years in the future unstead of now.
Posted by dm (dm), 12 October 2004
I am given to understand that if you're overweight, you're not a good candidate for the meniscal transplant... is that true? I think it's too late for me anyway, I've already got bone spurs.
Posted by galaxyrigging (galaxyrigging), 12 October 2004
I am not sure, I know that if your overweight or obesee(?) they will not do the transplant due to complications but I am not sure what those are.
Posted by sestiles (sestiles), 2 November 2004
...and I've finally got some donor tissue. Surgery set for Dec 1. Didn't think it was going to take anywhere near that long, but at least the waiting is over...
The doc also suggested we go with an autograft hamstring (can't go to the patella tendon well more than once without fear of just moving scar tissue from one place to another) instead of an allograft. He says that some high profile infection causes have caused the provider companies to do a lot more irradiation of donor acls, so they aren't transplanting as well and aren't as strong once their in - anyone hear anything like that?
Just wanted to update those of you who are waiting...Good luck
Posted by galaxyrigging (galaxyrigging), 2 November 2004
Good Luck and Congragulations. One question you have to wait till Dec? I was told that once a donor was found that I would have to have the surgery within 72 hours? Can you clear this up?
Take care and let me know about the post surgery
Posted by galaxyrigging (galaxyrigging), 7 January 2005
Hello everyone, I think I have good news...
I just graduated from college!!! 
Now I am looking for a job. But now I have been told I will have the Allograft surgery on March 23, 2005
Now when I look for work I have to worry about being fired for missing to much work because of this surgery? I will keep you updated for the few who read this post.
Posted by myrtknee94 (myrtknee94), 7 January 2005
galaxyrigging~
Congratulations on graduating for college and on finally getting a date for your surgery!!
Are you in the US or the UK? In the US, you can not be fired for missing work due to surgery. Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which took effect July 26, 1992, prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. An individual with a disability is a person who:
Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;
Has a record of such an impairment; or
Is regarded as having such an impairment.
I am going in for an ACL reconstruction and a meniscal transplant on January 20th.
Good Luck with your job search and your surgery!! Keep me posted!
~Kristen
Posted by pegleg78 (pegleg78), 7 January 2005
Hi,
I ahve had a medial and lateram meniscus transplant on my right knee and I am so glad I did it. The recovery was very hard adn very long, but now, 2 years later it was well worth it.
Good Luck
Let me know if you have any questions.
Updated Mon Oct 13 2008