Lateral Release Reversal

[texel]

Hi Texel,
Did you get a response from Tommax or make any progress? I am suffering as well after LR cannot walk and wondering if you can share more about your situation. I had subluxated kneecap and tilt, terrible pain and elected this surgery out of desperation for relief. Thanks in advance

Hi JJPies, I'm so sorry for you. Unfortunately I have no response from TOMMAX. But 12 months after surgery I'm desperately looking for someone to repair the LR here in Germany. My situation was pain in the medial area after running. The doctor said it's just a plica, he will do a small surgery and after three months I'll be back on track. Well, I'm 12 months in hell, about to lose my job and I can't barely walk. I opened a facebook group "Lateral Release victims". Keep me updated, mate.

[claus6778]

Lateral release is the worst and most unnecessary thing you can do to your knee. It will cause tremendous amount of pain and disability.  You pretty much will not be active again.

The only hope is LPFL reconstruction by Dr. Robert LaPrade.

[texel]

Lateral release is the worst and most unnecessary thing you can do to your knee....You pretty much will not be active again.

Hi claus6778, thanks for your advice. I second that. LR ist the worst thing a doctor did to me. After two years I still can't walk, lost my job and getting insane by 24/7 pain. My quad muscle is gone, lots of pain. My new doctor suggested a repair with a "z plastic method". I'm not sure about that. But I can't live like that, my life is destroyed.

Since I'm from Germany Dr. LaPrade is unfortunately too far for me. Haven't found a specialist around yet. I've read your postings here. What's your status? Have you done the LPFL?

[vickster]

If looking for a PF specialist in Europe, contact Lars Blond in Copenhagen
https://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEnotes/knee-surgeon/dr-lars-blond?action
He’s made a number of contributions to Kneeguru including articles around lateral release (see tab in link)

[texel]

Thanks vickster, I will get more informations about Dr. Blond. So far a MPFL specialist seems to be my last chance.

[claus6778]

Lateral release is the worst and most unnecessary thing you can do to your knee....You pretty much will not be active again.

Hi claus6778, thanks for your advice. I second that. LR ist the worst thing a doctor did to me. After two years I still can't walk, lost my job and getting insane by 24/7 pain. My quad muscle is gone, lots of pain. My new doctor suggested a repair with a "z plastic method". I'm not sure about that. But I can't live like that, my life is destroyed.

Since I'm from Germany Dr. LaPrade is unfortunately too far for me. Haven't found a specialist around yet. I've read your postings here. What's your status? Have you done the LPFL?

I had LPFL reconstruction by LaPrade.  I wish I had done it immediately after my disastrous lateral release, which pretty much destroyed my life. Instead I had a couple failed surgeries to fix the issue. At that time, I traveled alone from Asia to Colorado (including a fun ride from denver airport up to the mountain) to see him and I stayed in a German style hotel for a month after the surgery all by myself. It was the most brave thing I ever did and I wished I had approached other things in my life the same way. Perhaps I was younger and more determined.  Fate favors the braves. That's all I can say.

There are several methods to fix lateral release. None of them is perfect. LaPrade's method makes most sense to me and he had done at least dozens of these reconstructions. He's even published a fairly simple to understand paper available on pubmed.

LPFL reconstruction will be slowly phased out because no one sensible now will perform a lateral release. It only exists to fix an inhuman and debilitating surgery. One can actually tore every major ligament in the knee and recover better than lateral release.

MPFL reconstruction specialists will not be be able to help you. These two surgeries are completely different. Believe me, I thought about that too.

Lastly, I want to say that I dont believe anyone who is actually better after lateral release. There might be people who are relatively unaffected by the release if they had a small release or lengthening but their knees will never actually be better or stronger.

[texel]

MPFL reconstruction specialists will not be be able to help you. These two surgeries are completely different. Believe me, I thought about that too.

Claus, thanks so much for sharing your experience. I got many questions:
When was your MPFL reconstruction?
How do you feel now?
How was your recovery? 
What do you mean with "MPFL reconstruction specialists will not be be able to help you"? I thought reconstruction works better then fix. Do you suggest to visit Dr. LaPrade exclusively because of his skills and method?
And how much are the costs for the surgery and treatment in summery?
I mean I'm so desperated, I would travel around the world to reverse this inhumane mistake they did to me.

[claus6778]

MPFL reconstruction specialists will not be be able to help you. These two surgeries are completely different. Believe me, I thought about that too.

Claus, thanks so much for sharing your experience. I got many questions:
When was your MPFL reconstruction?
How do you feel now?
How was your recovery? 
What do you mean with "MPFL reconstruction specialists will not be be able to help you"? I thought reconstruction works better then fix. Do you suggest to visit Dr. LaPrade exclusively because of his skills and method?
And how much are the costs for the surgery and treatment in summery?
I mean I'm so desperated, I would travel around the world to reverse this inhumane mistake they did to me.

I had LPFL reconstruction quite a few years ago, not MPFL. Lateral release results in medial subluxation - your kneecap tracks medially, so you need lateral retinaculum reconstruction using grafts. Simplying repairing LR won't do and will always end up failing after a while. When the tissue is cut with during arthscropy, there is no way to savage it except with hardcore reconstruction using IT band and/or part of patellar tendon to support the kneecap.

MPFL reconstruction is fairly common but that's not what you need.

I feel ok for someone who had 5 surgeries. In fact, ironically, my knee is the least of my concerns now.

My recovery was tough but that was because I left the clinic in Colorado too soon and didnt do enough therapy.

You are probably going to have to pay out of pocket unless you have insurance in the states. It actually isn't a complicated or time consuming surgery. It just that hardly anyone performs the surgery. LaPrade's paper outlines every detail and even includes a video of the surgery. You can ask LaPrade to recommend someone in Europe if you dont want to travel. Where I live, there is not a surgeon who has even heard of the surgery.

The PF forum used to be flooded with lateral release comments but most people who had reconstruction left already. Like I said, lateral release is being phased out. I only came back because of the torrid memory of trying to finding fixes and some sentimental reasons.

A funny annecdote is that I didnt talk to LaPrade for a very long time in the whole process (I doubt he still remembers me). He pretty much just saw me for 20 min or less and just decided LPFL reconstruction (not like there is any other choice). There are surgeons whom I consulted much longer and willing to spend more time talking to me but didn't help me at all. At the end of day, it's all about the method and experience. That's another lesson in life, which I learnt the hard way.

Lastly, try "Reverse McConnel taping" or wear a kneecap brace the opposite way which forces your kneecap to track laterally instead of medially. If it helps, then you are a candidate for the surgery.

I wore a kneecap brace (for opposite knee) for years before and even after the surgery.

[vickster]

This forum article by Lars Blond talks about lateral release and the LPFL reconstruction. From previous posts on the forum, he is experienced in the surgery
https://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEnotes/articles/expert-views/2019/lateral-release-why-bad-reputation#worse-instability