My options?

[dan1979]

Hi, i would like a bit of advice, i have a lesion on my femur thats 2.5 x 2cm its grade 3 but grade 4 in places. I have been given the option of a cartlidge implantation or a hemicap? Im only 32 years old in a months time. I have had this problem for 2 1/2 years and have had microfracture but it didnt help.

I just wanted some guidance from people that have had these sorts of surgery before i choose which to go for, i understand that none of them are a cure and they are only to prolong my knee untill such time as i can have a replacement.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Dan

[mrpenguin]

Hi Dan,

I can't offer any advise but I am potentially looking at t HEMI Cap too - I had MFX last Decemebr which turned out really well but after returning to impact sports it seems to have now failed.

From what I understand the recovery for the HEMI Cap is alot quicker as I've been told it is weight bearing straight away.  the down side it is open surgery so comes with risk of infection plus inserting a foreign body into your knee.

If you have good meniscus on the site then HEMI Cap this is the best bet but it you want the body to try to heal itself then grafting could be the way to go.  The cartilidge graft could work but also could fail....plus longer rehab. 

Not much help sorry but please keep us posted on your progress,

Best regards

[Kimberly 77]

I have been reading lots on this kind of thing and have many questions too. I had a arthoscopic surgery to debri my knee cap and they found a large defect on the medial femoral condyle during surgery. He shaved it down to a stable margin but I am still in lots of pain 4 months after surgery and have very poor range of motion. I will be seeing a different os (already seen him once, he put a cortizone shot in my knee) on Jan 11th, so I want to have lots of info for my appointment. This has been going on for a year for me now and I am done. So anyone with any advice or info, Please tell us! Good Luck!

[cdubb]

I'd try and keep your own parts as long as possible and try an ACI or DeNovo before going to replacing parts.   It's a decently large defect, but not huge and would have a good chance at responding to ACI or DeNovo.  You may also be a osteochondral allograft candidate since that's a bailout surgery for failed cartilage repair procedures before going to partial or total joint replacements, but discuss with your surgeon or even get another opinion just to be fully informed of your options. 

I personally am 31 years old and 5 weeks out of a patella ACI  for a 2 cm x 2 cm defect and a tuburcle ostetomy was also performed...can't give you any idea if it's worked or not yet since I really won't know for probably a year.