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

CARTICEL - - Posted by mark (mark), 15 August 2002

Does anyone know anything about carticel, as far as hospital stay after the second surgery and rehab, after 8 months of let downs and one failed surgury I have finally found a doc that will listen, he feels that I am a good carticel candidate, but has to read the op note of the last surgen and look at the MRI, so now Im playing the waiting game again. I would welcome your replies. Mark
Posted by kellyg (kellyg), 16 August 2002

I had my carticel surgery in Nov 2001 and stayed in the hospital in the bed for one day.  I had a pain pump which helped alot.  When I went home I needed the pain meds to sleep for about one week.
Posted by mark (mark), 16 August 2002

Thanks for the reply, how long were you on crutches? Im going to try to schedule the procedure during Christmas break so I miss the least amount of classes also how is the pain level now compared to before the procedure?
Posted by kellyg (kellyg), 18 August 2002

I was on crutches for about six weeks (but probably should have stayed on them longer).  The pain from the procedure was bad for the first week but taking the pain medicine helped.  It was very hard beginning to walk and doing the exercises (PT).  I have to be honest with you, my carticel graft did not take and I am in the same shape as before the surgery.  My only advice to you is to get your leg as strong as you can and stay on the crutches as long as they say.  Good luck.
Posted by mark (mark), 18 August 2002

Wow that does not sound very promising, to go thru all that and the graft did not take. I am soooo hoping that this works for me, 32 is to young for disability, I have to much life ahead of me to be this messed up, but I have already been "let go" from my previous job because I could not preform the tasks, so we are sinking as each day goes by and you have to be "disabled" for 365 days before the gov't will even consider letting you file for disability, very depressing!!!!!!!, so are you going to try another carticel procedure?
Posted by noddy (noddy), 22 August 2002

Mark

I am 2 weeks post op from the carticel procedure. I was in hospital for 4 days.  I have started physio and am having 3 sessions per week and next week I start work in the pool.  It is a long rehab and there are very definite do's and don'ts. You must follow your surgeons instructions precisely. One wrong move could ruin the implant.  I don't know yet if it was worth it but I hope so.  It is not an easy thing to undergo.  Good Luck
Posted by dj2 (dj2), 5 August 2003

Mark,

I am 5yr post op from my carticel implant.  I was in hospital for 4 days, and non-weight bearing for 6 wks.  The pain was horrendous.  I had 14 months of PT.  Although it seemed to be taking forever, I finally did recover some of what I had not had for 15 yrs.  
My situation is different from yours as it was my 15th surgery and not the last.  
I had good results  and am glad I had it done.  I was able to go up and down stairs for the first time in years.  
I know of two others who had similar results.  One has returned to skiing,  and triathlons.  The other skis, hikes, rides motorcycles, etc.  
I hope you have the same results as the two men I know.

dj2
Posted by ted (ted), 3 September 2003

I had carticel implantation on my femoral condyle 16 weeks ago.  I still feel pain in the repair area.  Is that OK?  Does anyone know?
Posted by lbdeharak (Linda), 5 September 2003

Hello Ted,

Is the pain that you are having always there, or just when you do things? At 16 weeks I was still basically on crutches. If it hurts when you do things, you are streeing the implant and need to back off. I had an implant last November. I recently had a scope since I was having new discomfort. It turned out that I had a NEW defect! They did Microfracture on that. The good part is that my graft looks fantastic. I was actually back to easy hikes before the new defect cropped up.

I hope you are feeling better,
Linda
Posted by ssettlemire (ssettlemire), 14 September 2003

I am scheduled for the Carticel procedure in October, 2003.  I am hopeful but nervous.  How long were you (other ACI patients) in the hospital?  How long out of work?  How long before being able to drive a car?  
Posted by lbdeharak (Linda), 16 September 2003

Hi there,

I was in the hospital for one night. Looking back, I should have stayed one more. I was back at work (desk job) after one week. It was tough and it would have been better if I could have stayed home longer. I started driving as soon as I was no longer taking pain meds during the day. It was a little over a week after the surgery. My ACI knee was the left one and I drive an automatic, so I did not need to use that leg. It was difficult getting in the car and finding a comfortable postion for the leg with a brace on.

Good luck to you in October!
Linda
Posted by Jules (Jules), 16 September 2003

Mark,
I know exactly how you feel, I had pain in my knees since I was a teenager, I went to see a consultant in my early twenties, he said I was just double jointed, a took me until I was 34 to actually get someone to really listen to me. I've hav 3 bi-lateral arthroscopies between april 2001 and november 2002, for microscopic drilling under the patella, bi-lateral releases of the patella and shaving of the joints! To which non have worked. I have no cartalidge left on the inside of both knee joints, and have finally been referred for ACI, which I have to wait 6 - 12 months for! Its horrible playing the waiting game, I am now 37 and like everyone on here, if fed up of being in constant pain. But I never had any injuries, mine is just wear and tear! I even had my bunions done when I was 15!! Think I was given an old ladies pair of legs when I was born instead of a new pair!! Ha HA!
Jules.

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