Re: TORN ACL- 2 SURGERIES OR 1

I tore my ACL in 1986.  I did not have surgery and was able to do most of
the things I could do before, although basketball was tough.  However, my
knee would occasionally "buckle" and I would find myself on the ground.  I
was always able to get back up and keep going until 1991, when I couldn''t
get up.  I had to have surgery and found that I had done so much damage to
knee since the original surgery, that I had a big plug of articular
cartlidge missing and was potentially bone on bone.  I had ACL done surgery
performed at that time as well as cartlidge repair, but it has never been
the same since.  I had additional cartlidge repair surgery in 1999, and am
now probably going to require it again after an incident this past weekend.
I am a weekend warrior type athlete, and cannot imagine not having athletics
in my life.  Find a good doctor and have the surgery.  Your option 3 sounds
most reasonable.  The only kind of person that should not consider this
surgery immediately is one who does not do anything.



"berta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> I'm 25, play hockey, soccer and weightlift.  My doctor has been
> performing ACL surgeries for 20 years.  I ahve waited a year and
> granted my knee did get strong enough to play soccer and hockey again
> but it just recently buckled again for the 4 time.  I have no other
> damage to other ligaments or cartilage so why would I risk my knee
> giving out again and damaging it more.  '
>
>
>
>
> "Lorrie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> > Dear Berta, I tore my ACL in spring and just had my reconstruction
surgery a
> > week and 1/2 ago.  My first piece of advice is to talk to at least two
docs.
> > Ask friends or other docs if they know of anyone who does a lot of ACL
> > repairs.  I saw two doctors who came right out and said they don't do
them
> > and then recommended me to ones that did.  Secondly, why are you so dead
 set
> > against doing nothing about it?  You didn't say how long ago you tore
it,
> > but unless you have to get back to a certain level of sports activity
give
> > yourself a little time to see exactly how unstable it is.  The surgery
is no
> > picnic.  I still am up every night with pain and have not resumed even
1/3
> > of my " normal activity level".  Not that I expected to be 10 days post
op,
> > but looking back my knee wasn't that bad, I was able to go jogging with
a
> > support brace and it only gave way on slippery floors and quick sideways
> > movements.  Only time will tell if I am going to be better off having
had
> > the surgery or should have just accepted it as apart of aging( I am 39).
My
> > doctor scoped out the rest of the knee for uncaught tears right  before
he
> > began the reconstruction, so two operations were not necessary.  Good
luck
> > to you, and whatever you decide remember it will take patience.
> > "berta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > Just got my MRI results.
> > > > >
> > > > > Bad News - Torn ACL
> > > > > Good News - NO damage to other ligaments or cartilage.
> > > > >
> > > > > Options according to my doctor.
> > > > >
> > > > > 1.  leave it alone - that not's gonna happen
> > > > > 2. Have 2 surgeries.  One to check the knee for anyting the MRI
missed
> >  and to check the knee for ACL Reconstruction.
> >  3.  Go straight to ACL reconstruction - use hamstring tendon with
> > > > > absorbable screws and leave the old ACL in my knee to promote
blood
> > > > > flow in the new ligament which will be put right beside the old
one.
> > > > >
> > > > > The MRI is 90% accurate so i really don't see the point in getting
2
> > > > > surgeries done.  I am opting towards going straight to the ACL
> > > > > Reconstruction. If there is a small tear that the MRI missed, the
tear
> > > > > can worked on at the same time anyway.
> > >
>