is my ACL reconstruction unsuccessful?

Hi there,
I'm 30 yo male that had right knee ACL reconstruction using my own patella ligament on Dec 9, 2008. For the next 5 days I did physio twice daily at the hospital. After that, I went to the hospital everyday except sunday to do physio. This was carried out until the 3rd week of my rehab. On Dec 31st, I had to move back to my home, which was about 4.5 hrs of driving-distance from the hospital. Since then, I did daily physio on my own with weight (10 lbs) and rubber-stretching band. My next appointment with my doctor is on 17th Jan 2009.
On Jan 7, 2008, I slipped and bottom of my right leg hit the floor quite hard. There was a pop-like sound, but it might be the impact from metal parts on my leg brace. I slipped about 3/4 foot from my original height (based from my original position and when my right-hand crutch hit the corner of the bathroom). The pain was just for about 5 minutes, then it disappeared. At the moment, I was still using 2 crutches and I wore a leg brace with 60 degree movement setting. I was also baring about 1/2 of my body weight on my right leg.
The next day I didn't feel similar strain on my right knee. The knee felt better and there was no bruise visually. Before that I would feel slight pain when I did some movement like lifting the leg or during my physio. I'm afraid that the graft had snapped but it can't be confirmed until I met my doctor. From my reading, after ACL reconstruction, the slight pain during movement is because the graft is under recardiovascular process. Since the pain was not there after I slipped, I assumed the graft had disconnected. Can someone please confirm whether my assumption is right or not? Thank you.

[sk1acl]

Time for another MRI to see if the graft is still intact or not.

I had ACL surgery 1 month ago, so I feel your pain. I had excessive swelling after the surgery and now am having a lot of pain along with problems reaching full extension. I started pyhsical therapy 2 weeks after my surgery as per my Dr and have been doing PT exercises at home as well. I started PT with 25 degrees of extension and was able to get it down to 19, however it now feels as if it's getting worse ..... much stiffer.

Now my Dr. is talking about putting me under and manipulating the knee to gain full extension ( fun,fun,fun ). He also said that some people just have a lower pain tolerance and that could be preventing me from reaching full extension. I find that pretty funny because I'm a pretty tough guy, having done martial arts for years.

Right now I feel like having ACL surgery with this Dr is the worst mistake I ever made in my entire life. I'm on a mission to stay upbeat and focused, while waiting to see another Surgeon on Monday morning.

Sorry to hijack, but it helps me to vent.

Good luck and get well soon.

[jim1537]

There is no reason to panic really. First and full most, nothing can be done until you see the doctor to have it confirmed but the worst thing is too panic despite how hard it is. The best course of action whatever has happened is to keep with your exercises and get that swelling down and that is literally all you can do without going for a scan.
   More importantly!, when the surgeon attaches your "new" cruciate lig they really test it to make sure it is strong. they dont leave the ligament too fragile, so that its going to snap with a one bump. They really stress the knee to make sure its going to withstand some tension.
   You cant ever rule that you have done something more sinister, however, the chances are remote and you just need to concentrate on improving what you can and try not to let it get you down.

  These words have come from someon who is on their second ACL reconstruction and qualified physiotherapist
best of luck!
  

[dcs9995]

i had acl surgery in july of 2008, however it never did seem right. they used a cadavar ligament. i went to another doctor and he discovered that the graft has ruptured and i have to have acl surgery again. do you know if i can get my money back from the orthpaedic center that did my first surgery? or am just sol?

thanks

[Jobin4]

HELP~~I tore my ACL in 8/06 playing soccer and had surgery using my patella tendon a month later. In January of 07 I then had a scar resection because so much scar tissue built up that I couldn't straiten my leg all the way. I felt great for two years and then I started having bone on bone sensation in the back of my kneecap  and anterior knee pain out of the blue while I played soccer. In April of 09 I had it scoped after trying P.T. and all sorts of injections like Prolo therapy, steroid injections and Hyalgan, <sp??. This surgery just cleared out some loose bodies and they cleaned up my meniscus. I returned to soccer after six weeks as my Dr. stated I could and the pain was the exact same. I returned to see my Surgeon and was told that I'm as good as I'm going to get. I then got a second, third and even fourth opinion. The fourth Dr. I liked the best and he put me through more P.T. and we did diagnostic injections which led him to the decision that he wanted to scope it, this was in 11/09 and I had a microfracture. I'm not six months out and still have the same pain. I have been told that my ACL graft is loose, frayed and disorganized for a couple years now, I have also been told that my tibial tunnel was placed to far anterior and that my graft impinges on the roof as well as the fact that I have osteophytes (tiny bone spurs) going directly into my graft. I'm now looking at having a piece of cadaver cartilage put in the back of my knee cap later this summer and starting rehab once again. Has anyone had something like this????

[southtexas]

I am having somewhat the same issues but not so much time has passed.  I had surgery 6 months ago and still not getting the ROM that I should.  I went for a second opinion and after the MRI they said that my graph was in the wrong place.  It will have to be completely removed and the bone plugged... then the acl reconstruction redone.  I am not happy as I have have spent so much money, time and pain going through this.  I have a new job that I dont have the capability of taking time off so I will probably jeopardize that.  Do you know if the original doctor is liable for anything?  It so frustrating and the quality of life is terrible.  Thats the whole reason I did it in the first place because I am too young to limp for the rest of my life...