9 months R knee OATS post op.....advice needed!

Bones, joints and muscles
1

I really need some help/support/advice.

I was a very active 37 yo/male up until I started getting some pretty serious inner right knee pain the past few years. A few of the doctors I saw recommended microfracture procedure, but most said the cartilage defect was much too large for this procedure.

In 2005, I had a loose body removed through arthroscopic surgery.

I decided to go through with the OATS procedure in August 2016. Here are the exact pre-op notes from the DR:

1. Chronic painful right knee, large medial femoral condyle osteochondritis dissecans lesion with cyst formation.

2. Chronic painful right knee loose body formation.

The exact lesion was measured at 23mm by 14mm

This brings to me to May of 2017.

I went through the PT and the pain of surgery and finally built my muscles back up.

My major concern is that I'm having equal to/greater pain in the exact spot the OATS procedure was performed. I called my doctor and he suggested having a new MRI on June 6th, 2017 to see what is going on.

I guess my question is, am I being too hasty to jump to the conclusion that the OATS procedure has failed?

My doctor previously said the next step is to use cadaver cartilage, if this OATS procedure didn't work. It is very disheartening and down right depressing to still be experiencing the same pain. I currently cannot run or play with my 2 kids and have another on the way in 2 weeks.

I'd just like to be normal again, although I know this may not be possible.

Any suggestions/support/advice/personal experiences which I can draw from to figure out the next step?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this.

 

2

Hi Jbings -

I am 7 mos out from my right TKR and I am still experiencing major swelling and pain and using a walker.  I went back to dr - had it drained - twice - i have bleeding into the joint, so they are now running another myriad of tests on the fluid, and I had to go back to the lab for more tests.

Listen, hang in there, please.  I had my left knee replaced back in Dec of 2015 and i thought that was bad.  But it was a walk in the park compared to this one,

I don't have what you have but i do have the timeframe and the unsureness, and the depression. And of course, the pain and the not knowing.  I've been 4 days now without a swelling blow up. Longest timeframe so far so I"m literally walking on eggshells waiting for something to happen, ,as opposed to being happy that it's been almost 4 days.  So i get it.  But hang in there - it'll get all sorted out.  We are here for you.  I will add you to my prayer list (which btw, is getting longer and longer) 

3

In 2001, I ripped my left femoral condyle completely off.  Over the succeeding decade, I ripped the other one plus both menisci. Left with no cartilage in both knees after four scopes, I used Synvisc shots for years to stop the pain.  Worked GREAT for me...some people aren't that lucky.

Moved from the cold of New Jersey to the warmth of Texas in 2010.  ZERO knee pain until 2016.  With nothing left to scope, my only option was a TKR last March.  Tough op, long and painful rehab.  Worth it...no more pain.

However, docs don't do TKRs on people your age.  So, if they can help you with another scope and/or use Synvisc, give those things a try.

4

Have you researched the  proceedure  you plan to have?  Make sure you get a second opinion!