KNEE ARTHRITIS - Cartilage plug transfer :

New Member....Need Help - - Posted by mvivanz (mvivanz), 2 December 2004

On Monday November 29, I underwent my  third knee operation. I was told that I had a small lesion somewhere on my right knee and I needed surgery or the lesion would get bigger and then I would need a bone graft.  My doctor assured me that this surgery would not be as painful as the lateral release that I had done 4 years ago.  This is the start of day 4 of my post op and I feel really bad.  Although I was awake during the surgery and viewed it on a monitor, I am confused as to what I saw.  So I don't think I really understand the procedure.

I wanted to go back to work in 6 weeks but I am not sure I will be up to it based on how I am feeling now.
And since I have a long commute that includes subways ( I live in NYC), I am not sure that my doctor will approve of me going back to work in 6 weeks.

Anyway, if you had the procedure done, can you give me some insight as to what I can expect?  What kind of physical therapy will I need? Is a knee brace necessary?

Thanks in advance
Michelle
Posted by brattkids2 (brattkids2), 2 December 2004

Not quite sure I understand. Did your doctor say that you had microfractures or OATS??

It depents on the proceedure type on what you can expect. Are you on crutches? Non weight Bearing?

If you can give me a bit more information I can try to help. I had OATS in August and November. I was non weight bearing for 6 weeks (Still on crutches now for the Proceedure in November). Pain was pretty intense for the first about 5 to 7 days thatn its quickly gets better. I will then swell and get really sore when you are able to bear weight again. But that too passes quickly.

Hope I can help
Paulette
Posted by mvivanz (mvivanz), 2 December 2004

Thanks for replying. He honestly didn't say.  I remember him drilling 4 holes that was in the back of what looked like my knee cap. I am on crutches. Thats all I know.

Michelle
Posted by brattkids2 (brattkids2), 3 December 2004

Hmmmmm it could be either.

Microfractures are where they drill or scrape the bone to get it to bleed in hopes of getting cartilage to grow. I had this done in April of 2004. Mine failed due the my lesions being too large.

OATS is where they take plugs from non weight bearing areas of your knee and place them in the bad areas to get them to heal. My first OATS was done with a synthetic material (it is experimantal) as my OS did not want me to have to wait to have my own cells harvested for an ACI proceedure. ACI is where they go in whith a scope and harvest some healthy cartilage cells and send them to a lab to grow for a couple of months and then place them over the lesion. This proceedure is big and is an open surgery not a scope. My lateral side healed nicely but the medial side failed and I had a traditional OATS in November to repair this.

If you had microfractures or OATS the pain doesnt last really long. After 5 to 7 days it get progressively better.
The problem with getting to work may be the crutches if you have to be on them for 4 to 6 weeks.

With either of those proceedures they dont require you to have a brace and PT  is basic strengthening of your muscles. You wont believe how fast they fade!!

Feel   free to contact me if you have any questions

Paulette

Both require 4 to 6 weeks on crutches.

This old Forum was so valuable that we have kept it as an archive. It is just for reference. If you want to ask questions or offer advice, there is also a current Bulletin Board which you can access from our home page.

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