MACI Update - 11yrs and still going strong!

[JulianUK]

Hi All,

As promised I would pop back and give an update every so often on my progress since I had MACI done in both my legs 10 & 11yrs ago now.

Well it's good news as I'm still pain free in both knees. I still go to the gym 2-3 times a week and still weight myself every week to keep my weight around 12stone, something I made a conscious decsion about a long time ago - I would do everything on my side to aid my long-term recovery. The OS & his team did their part so I have to uphold my side of the bargain.

Over this period I have been fortunate to do some amazing things with my family & friends that I would never have thought possible before I had my operations. Put things into a little perspective I keep active but I don't play physical demanding sport myself. I am an active football (soccer) coach and have been for 7yrs now. This takes up a big part of my life outside of work but gives me so much reward and positivity.
I think it is so important to me to have something as a focus to keep me going to the gym and instead of playing sport I can help the development & growth of young people through sport.
I also work in Sports Development these days which is another bonus in my life.

I first went to RNOH Stanmore in 2002 to see if I could get accepted onto the MACI trial programme they were running. It was music to my ears when I heard the words from my OS "I think we can improve the quality of your life". How true this has turned out to be.

So hopefully your journey to recovery will be as successful as mine. Remember the tortoise wins this race.

Julian x

[Torao]

Thanks for providing an update. I'm scheduled for an ACI surgery in December and it's good to hear that it has worked for others.

[greywolf]

Hello Julian,

I have to thank you for all your posts, they helped me to decide for MACI, the op was done 16months ago (condyle lesion)

in my case up to now, it is a little up and down story, looking at last year I have months when I can walk without limp and any pain, no issue to cycle or swim and months when it is a little bit painful and I walk with big limp and some pain, usually 3-4 weeks after putting some more stress to the knee, but not on the level of running, it is impossible even good days

the muscles are still quite week

my doctor says that ant 2 years the implant is fully mature
I am a little worried just to stay where I am, it is acceptable, but I would be happy to walk well constantly without any pain or limb

what I wanted to ask you if you felt improvements also after 2 years mark and years later on?

thanks a lot and have a nice day
Michal

[JulianUK]

Hi Mical,

Sorry for the late response as i dont come on here too often anymore.
I definitely found that my grafts were so much better after 18-24mnths as the new cartilage continued to grow and develop.
I am still doing really well and keepind up the exercise at the gym.

hope this helps,
Jules

[a11en1985]

Hi. Julian ,
Its brilliant you've been pain free for so long and still going strong , I wish u all the best , I've just had stage one of my ACI , and wondered if you could enlighten me as what to expect after stage two , and if there's anything you done that I could do to aid recovery to ensure I give it the best chance of healing , I'm having my op at the RNOH Stanmore by Richard Carrington . Just waiting for the date .

Many Regards Darren 

[JulianUK]

Hi Darren,

I take it you have had your stage 2 by now?

All the best,
Jules

[ArmstrongK]

To all you people who live in the UK- Who are some of the best orthopedic surgeons in the UK that specialize in cartilage repair?
I know about Martyn Snow but that's about it. 
Thanks!

[vickster]

The team at the Royal National Orthopaedic hospitals in Stanmore (Prof Briggs) and Oswestry (Prof Richardson). Tim Spalding and team in Coventry. Anan Shetty in Kent (similar to Dr Saw method with cartifill).
 I'm sure there are others too. My surgeon for example but it's not his main area of expertise.

 Looking at the ICRS website might help

[psny]

The team at the Royal National Orthopaedic hospitals in Stanmore (Prof Briggs) and Oswestry (Prof Richardson). Tim Spalding and team in Coventry. Anan Shetty in Kent (similar to Dr Saw method with cartifill).
 I'm sure there are others too. My surgeon for example but it's not his main area of expertise.

 Looking at the ICRS website might help

How is Cartifil similar to Dr. Saw's method? His method is modified microfracture which is different then standard microfracture in that the holes are deeper and closer together. He does not use any glue, collagen, or any other scaffold. He follows the surgery with 6-8 injections of PBSC's and HA. To my understanding, Cartifil, is nothing more then a collagen scaffold mixed with glue. It provides the bone marrow element leaking out of the drill holes something to bind to. There are many such products out there, few have show very much benefit over standard microfracture. This is not to say that Caritfil is bad. The Youtube videos are interesting. It does a very good job of plugging the defect, it looks almost natural after spreading it around, but it's fairly basic in what it is.

[vickster]

Dunno, maybe I misread or misunderstood something

Indeed, it was developed by a different doctor in Korea, my bad

The Cartifill collagen gel has been invented by an orthopaedic surgeon from South Korea, Professor Seok Jung Kim, who has helped Mr Shetty to pioneer a series of procedures.

http://news.sky.com/story/745756/stem-cell-glue-saves-climbers-leg