KNEE ARTHRITIS - Autologous chondrocyte implantation (A.C.I.) :

Need Help from ACI patients - - Posted by Rich_UK (Rich_UK), 15 March 2004

Consultant suggests ACI but Norwich Union Healthcare won't cover it ..... has anyone had this op with Norwich Union or under NHS in the UK

Help
Rich
Posted by Joanna (Joanna), 16 March 2004

Hello,

I had my ACI done on the NHS two years ago at Stanmore in London.  I think there are various other hospitals in the UK that do it but I don't know which ones.  You will need to ask your GP or local surgeon to refer you to Stanmore or to a local hospital that does the procedure.  Stanmore is pretty good but referal probably depends on where you live.  (I am about 40 miles away)

Good luck
Joanna
Posted by dmarkovina (dmarkovina), 20 April 2004

had my done on 17/04/04 both ACI and ACL under Bupa - no questions asked. This was all due to ski injury
Posted by Lizzie (Lizzie - UK), 21 April 2004

I'm not with Norwich Union, but PPP have said that I am okay to have this surgery if I need it.

Why won't Norwich Union cover it?  Asked them to explain why they won't.


Posted by Rich_UK (Rich_UK), 9 January 2005

I've not osted on hear for some time...
looking for some advice,

Was due to have ACI april 04 but PMI would not cover it
so decided to go OCG along with tibial osteotomy Scheduled for april 7 04.when surgeon went in the damaged area of the knee had increased. tolarge for OCG. therfore only had osteotomy.
it has been a long long and difficult rehab and i'm still suffering now.....I've heard that the PMI now will ocver the ACI
due to see surgeon later this month to discuss options........ any comments

Rich
Posted by sherry34 (sherry34), 10 January 2005

Hi Rich,
Good Luck, ACI is a tough surgery, I had ACI and a tibial osteotomy on 11-29-04, I go back to my os tomorrow, hopefully will start therpy soon........Be prepared to read and watch tv alot.  After the first three weeks the pain is lots better,  but sleeping is very hard , I don't know why but there is alot of aching at night,  hopefully this will get better soon,  I only found this site a few days ago.  Good Luck hope all goes well.................
Sherry
Posted by Rich_UK (Rich_UK), 10 January 2005

Sherry

Thanks for the infomation.

Do you think the pain is related to the osteotomy (as I have had a lot of pain with mine) or is it from the ACI..........?

As I thought ACI was very straight forward procdure and not too intrusive.

How mobile have you been  I had my TO in april and was no load bearing for 6 weeks partial load bearing for 6 weeks.......

Rich



Posted by sherry34 (sherry34), 10 January 2005

Hi Rich,
I do think that alot of the pain is due to the tibial osteotomy, I was told before I had the surgery the osteotomy would be the hardest, or most painful part of it,once you get past the first couple of wks. or so it isn't so bad, I finally got a decents night sleep last night, andI just got back from my doctors appt. I am 6wks post op, and I still have another 4wks. before he will let me bear any weight on it,  getting around is pretty hard, I use crutches around the house, but when we go anywhere, if there is alot of walking I use a wheel chair,  I can drive though, thank goodness its my left knee and not the right..........even though when I get over this I do need to check the right one out, it gives alot of problems too.  It will have to get like the left knee was doing before I do this again, hopefully that will take awhile, and I don't say that because of the pain, but the not being able to walk is driving me crazy, it really takes alot out of you. Well Rich good luck with everything....................
Sherry
Posted by Rich_UK (Rich_UK), 10 January 2005

Sherry

I was hoping you were gonna say it was the TO .....seem weird to have more pain from just your own jello implant, than a busted leg screwed together.

Pleased to hear you are able to get around a bit, glad I'm not on the roads near you.

I found that using crutches and not being able to put left foot down made my right leg, hip and back really uncomfortable and ended up having to stand with my good leg on yellow pages for a while so I could realign, balance my back, hip  etc it worked but mean you can't move about.


did the OS say you are on schedule rehhab wise.

Trouble is they don't really see what you go through.my physio has always been very sympathetic  about the effect this has on other joints etc, whereas surgeon just do the op and see yu every 6 weeks....

Rich


Posted by sherry34 (sherry34), 10 January 2005

Hey Rich,
My os says everything looks to be going well,  they did x-rays today.  I see why the osteotomy hurts, two of the screws looked like they were about to come out the other side of the bone, and the other two looked like they were going upward somehow, its amazing what they can do isn't it. He still wants no weight bearing for another 4 wks. and I think thats because of the osteotomy.  After my next appt. I am suppose to go back to work two wks. after that, he said IF he let me go back it would only be part time, and very limited as to what I could do.  
I agree with you about the crutches, my back and hip have been bothering me lately, this surgery definitely is not easy , its probably the hardest thing I have ever done, hopefullly with in a year I can say it was worth it.................
I still have numbness on the outside of my knee and part of the way down my leg, they said it could take up to 6 months to get full feeling back, and then again it may not come back, "But I think it will"..........
I must admit I was pretty neverous about driving to my appt. today, its like 30 miles or so away and alot of traffic, usually my husband drives me but he couldn't get of work, so I took myself ...........and I didn't run over anybody, so I did good ..........
Well I gotta go make the kids do homework, talk to ya later..bye.................
Sherry
Posted by Jules (Jules), 11 January 2005

Hi All,
I only had the ACI done, and had it done at Oswestry UK, I am very happy withmy OS. Professor Richardson.
I had three grafts done, and I had to be non-weight bearing for 6 weeks, partial for two weeks, then full weight bearing. I have experienced a lot of pain, especially at night. In the day I have pain on the inner side of the knee, and feels extremely weak, especially above the knee, but that is due to muscle wastage. ACI can be more straight forward for those with only one graft and it being on a non-weight bearing site. But everyone heals differently, so who can say what may not be too bad for one person, is really bad for another.
Sherry, the four weeks will soon come around, and once you can start to put your foot on the floor, it feels great, but along with it comes new aches and pains, as you build it all up again to being able to full weight bear.
I have been full weight bearing for three weeks now, and I haven't seen a vast inprovement over the past two weeks, but I think this is due to the rehab now, and exercises to build it up, and this takes time, which I can be a little impatient. I won't be able to return to work until the end of March, its my right leg, and I haven't been able to drive for 8 weeks now. I see my OS on the 19th Jan, so hoping he will say I can now drive. Then after all this, I have to have the left knee done in 12 months. Which I have my negative thoughts about.
But hang on in there, there is alot of us in the same boat.
Good Luck.
Jules.

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