Can knee surgery make it worse?

[mike0987]

Hello

I had an accident where I fractured a part of the tibial plateau. In one knee. It's a simple fracture from what I gather, 4-5 ? inches long, but the x-ray wasn't precise enough for the Ortho. who requested an MRI with a 3-D reconstucted image. She said that if there's too much distance between the bones, too much loss of alignment, surgery will be necessary.

Haven't sought a second opinion yet, but I'm wondering if there aren't alternatives to surgery? Traction, etc?

And are these operations risky? I'm quite active physically and would want to keep my knee in as best condition possible. I am a 'bit' wary of operations..


Thank you!

[mike0987]

Thank you for your answer!

I went to the Ortho last Thursday and fortunately the MRI and 3-D showed a good alignment.
She prescribed an orthotic I'm presently wearing.

I'm lucky. But my Summer will be spent recuperating!

Thanks again!

[Philip D Parks, MD, MPH, MOccH, FACOEM]

Dear Mike:

Do you have the results of the MRI?

In the majority of cases when a fracture involves the surfaces of a joint and the pieces of the bone are not aligned, surgery is recommended. In general, it is very, very important for the surfaces of a joint to be in alignment so that the joint will function normally and be stable. For the knee, this is especially true--because the knee is a weight-bearing joint.

~•~ Dr. Parks

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.