Micro fracture Surgery

[erijon]

After putting it off for many years, I had my arthritic left knee scoped to repair a meniscus tear. The repair went fine but my surgeon found a large fracture of my articular cartilage and had to perform a micro fracture procedure. This has taken a fairly short recovery period for a meniscus repair to 6 - 8 weeks of non-weight bearing and limited use of my left leg.

I have read about this procedure on the Internet and it does not sound like it has a high success rate for patients over 45 (I'm 50) and I was wondering if anyone one out there has any experience with this type of surgery and what I can expect.

Thanks!

Jon

[Tree777]

Hi Jon,
I am 42 years old and 15 months post op.  Knee is grinding bone on bone with pain, swelling and locking up.  It also gives way when I take a step.  Have fallen several times when I don't catch myself fast enough.  I have had 2 series of synvisc and orthovisc injections which did not help.  Before surgery all the saw on the MRI was some scar tissue above my patella.  When the surgeon went in he saw a lack of cartilage medially and decided to do a microfracture (without my permission).  He did not have me use a CPM machine which gives you optimal healing, nor did he have me move my leg at all for the first 3 weeks.  You MUST move your knee consistently to get the most bleeding to create cartilage.  I do not recommend this surgery to anyone for any reason.  I could walk fine before the surgery.  Now I have a limp and am in constant pain, not only the knee, but my other knee, back and hip from compensation.  DO NOT GET THIS SURGERY!!

[hobbler]

I am 46 and 8 weeks post op.  Knee has healed slowly and is grinding bone on bone with pain, swelling and locking up.  Start a series of injections to get some lubricant in there so it can help it heal.  Hope this is the ticket.  Losing job soon and will be without insurance shortly

[abhijeet v ghosh]

hi dear, yes, you are right. The high failure rate f this surgery in older people is due to the fact that the learning curve of this procedure is present and second reason is that , by this time the cartilage is a bit arthritis and so it doesn't helps to the cause.
But anyways you wait.If the pain persist or the walking distance decreases, then we might think of something else.

regards
abhijeet