Meniscus removal concerns and questions

[damagedgoods]

Hello Im 33 I had 90% of my lateral meniscus removed and 60% of my median meniscus removed. Currently my leg feels quite unstable has anyone else had such a large percentage of their menicus removed? If so how does your leg feel and what are the likely affects of having such a large percentage of a knees meniscus removed?

[Juha_74]

Hi,

Ouch. What happened to your knee? Without both lateral and medial meniscic, your in high risk to get arthritis in the future.

You might like to read about meniscus transplant procedure, here in Kneeguru -> http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/index.php?board=19.0 . Please write your own story over there too. Here is one patient having both lateral and medial meniscus transplants -> http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/i...?topic=54331.0 .

Good luck with your knee.

[Angel]

I've had that and a little more removed. First surgery at 15 then again at 25. My leg feels like shit. I have bad arthritis and it swells often. On the bright side the instability gets better with time. However, the knee will continue to degrade. I've looked at an osteotomy and knee replacement. The osteotomy may be in my future. Sorry to be a downer.

[Juha_74]

Angel, I'm sorry about your knee. Do you want to share your knee's story with us? Is it possible to repair your articular cartilage with ACI treatment with meniscus transplant? Check out this topic -> http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/i...?topic=53193.0 . Dennis had about the same damage as you have?

Btw, how old are you? I thought that total knee replacement is not option for us, younger patients.

[damagedgoods]

Angel how long after you had that much meniscus removed did it start to hurt all the time? I am wondering if it will be unstable from having so much removed. I wonder if the is extra space in my knee that might create instability also if I will continue to be in pain after my ACL replacement heals or not.

[Restoked]

I had a little more of my meniscus before my last injury than you did, but I literally shredded the rest. I too had a very unstable feeling when I had about 20% left. I had a meniscus transplant in December 07...almost three years ago to the day. I've been very pleased with my result. I had a nice day at Squaw yesterday, and have enjoyed my new knee for the better part of 2.5 hears (the first half year is rehab). I'm not a hard charger, but I enjoy some nice GS terms on the knee. The most pain I get is from my leg dangling off the lift.

Good luck...its a tough injury.

[damagedgoods]

Restroked which meniscus was damaged one or both of them? Did you replace both or just one meniscus or both? Also did you have any other damage to your knee, ACL, MCL etc?

[Restoked]

Medial meniscus only. I have some arthritis in my knee cap area too that they cleaned up. I had a bucket handle tear in my medial meniscus in 1995, that started this wonderful freaking journey.

I've had the allograft meniscus for three years, and I'm relatively pain free. Way better than I was before, and the stability of my knee is also far better.

It's not like I have a perfect knee, but I wouldn't be skiing or running on my old one. Also, I've been in contact with others that have had the surgery, and not everyone has had my result.

Good luck

[splat]

I've had that and a little more removed. First surgery at 15 then again at 25. My leg feels like shit. I have bad arthritis and it swells often. On the bright side the instability gets better with time. However, the knee will continue to degrade. I've looked at an osteotomy and knee replacement. The osteotomy may be in my future. Sorry to be a downer.

I'm had 40-60% of my meniscus removed after re-tearing a bucket handle repair. I'm at 20 months since doc Orr took the damaged part out and it's just starting to feel like it's coming back. My knee, that is. The arthritis was dragging me down and it appears magnesium supplements backed it up to a pre-surgery condition. Maybe it was other supplements....I did everything under the sun. I will now go get some more prolotherapy and ozone injections to bolster and maybe regrow some of that meniscus tissue. I tend to believe the ozone and the nutrition of the prolo can possibly grow some of it back. I got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I don't like the surgery and the resultant atrophy. It didn't bother me the first time but having a second surgery within eight months was an ass-kicker. I skied without a brace for the first time in 2-1/2 years a few days ago. I'm feeling damn glad I didn't let the docs talk me into an osteotomy when it was hurting bad. Time really can heal.

[Juha_74]

Hi,

If you live near San Fransisco, maybe you could visit dr. Stone -> http://www.stoneclinic.com/fit-wishes-newsletter-2011 . I have understood that Stone is one of the leading meniscus experts.

Splat, great that your articular cartilage is better now. By the way, why did you refused meniscus transplant surgery? Do you have bow leg?

I am bowlegged, which made my condition worse than it should have been. My joint was 3mm out of line, which, although it might not sound like much, is a lot in terms of my own weird pain experiences. Does that play a part in the transplant considerations? I know it qualified me for an osteotomy, but the thought of letting the doc taking out a wedge of bone scared the hell out of me.

[splat]

I am bowlegged, which made my condition worse than it could have been. My joint was 3mm out of line, which, although it might not sound like much, is a lot in terms of my own experience. Does that play a part in the transplant considerations? I know it qualified me for an osteotomy, but the thought of letting the doc take a wedge out of my tib scared the hell out of me.

[Juha_74]

Splat, osteotomy is well justififiable treatment for bow legged patients. With bow legs you have too much pressure in your knee's medial side and it usually leads to wear and tear to the articular cartilage. I didn't intend any criticism about your choice, but would osteotomy help you?

[T-Boz]

I had 80/20% removed along with a new hammy acl. It has been exactly 6 months to the day and it feels great. I have been skiing about 4 days now and today was the first day with my brace. Still trying to take it easy, but it as good as I think it can be. I feel that it will take at least a few more weeks before I can start taking any air. I was told I will have the whole arthritis issue as well, but no instability so far. I did have some arthritis pain a month or so ago, but light jogging on the treadmill seemed to cure that.

[splat]

Splat, osteotomy is well justififiable treatment for bow legged patients. With bow legs you have too much pressure in your knee's medial side and it usually leads to wear and tear to the articular cartilage. I didn't intend any criticism about your choice, but would osteotomy help you?

Maybe, if all else fails. I'm saving it for as much later as I can. I have endless insurance for whatever the doc recommends, but I'm just stubbornly making sure I've tried all non-surgical options first. So far that has entailed a more subdued existence, but it keeps getting better with time and is feeling like it's on the comeback trail. That is encouraging as hell to me.

T-Boz - good for you, man. Go get it.

[Juha_74]

Hi guys,

Try to avoid severe damage to the articular cartilage after meniscectomy. I have damaged my cartilage in the medial side of tibia and femur. Grade 3 arthritis says my radiologist, after watching my MRI-pictures. Advanced arthritis hurts hell and I have problems sleeping, due to the pain.

I just want to say that take it easy and try to avoid impact sports in case you dont have much/any meniscus left.

Good luck.

[damagedgoods]

So it appears that the concenses for having 90% of my lateral meniscus removed and 60% of my median meniscus removed from my original question is that its not likely to feel better without surgery and continue to worsen my knee?

Thats the only conclusion I think I can reach, I wish someone that has actually experienced such a large meniscus removal would respond with their symptoms and a timeline but since others that have had less meniscus problems than mine have experienced bad symptoms I can assume that mine will probably be just as bad or worse.

[Juha_74]

Do you know what is happening right now inside your knee? Do you have MRI-pictures? What ortho surgeon said, after operation? Is your articular cartilage damaged already?

Have you talked to you're ortho about meniscus transplant? What opinion he or she has? You are young man and you need you're legs in the future. Like I said earlier, do everything you can to avoid arthritis.

What happened to you're limb anyway?

[Restoked]

So it appears that the concenses for having 90% of my lateral meniscus removed and 60% of my median meniscus removed from my original question is that its not likely to feel better without surgery and continue to worsen my knee?

Thats the only conclusion I think I can reach, I wish someone that has actually experienced such a large meniscus removal would respond with their symptoms and a timeline but since others that have had less meniscus problems than mine have experienced bad symptoms I can assume that mine will probably be just as bad or worse.

I had 20% of my medial left after three surgeries. My knee ached badly after I did anything. My knee also felt really loose all the time. If I hiked, ran, played anything, or even walked the golf course, my knee would keep me up at night. I didn't have any arthritis in my femur or tibia (as per Dr. Stone after my MT), but I had some nasty stuff under my kneecap. I had 3 meniscectomies...the first in 1995, the second and third in 2006, and the MT in late 2007. PM me if you have any specific questions.

[damagedgoods]

I'm had 40-60% of my meniscus removed after re-tearing a bucket handle repair. I'm at 20 months since doc Orr took the damaged part out and it's just starting to feel like it's coming back. My knee, that is. The arthritis was dragging me down and it appears magnesium supplements backed it up to a pre-surgery condition. Maybe it was other supplements....I did everything under the sun. I will now go get some more prolotherapy and ozone injections to bolster and maybe regrow some of that meniscus tissue. I tend to believe the ozone and the nutrition of the prolo can possibly grow some of it back. I got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I don't like the surgery and the resultant atrophy. It didn't bother me the first time but having a second surgery within eight months was an ass-kicker. I skied without a brace for the first time in 2-1/2 years a few days ago. I'm feeling damn glad I didn't let the docs talk me into an osteotomy when it was hurting bad. Time really can heal.

I am in a simuliar situation having surgeries back to back. Feb 22nd PCL, 90% median meniscus removed, 60% lateral meniscus, then Nov 1st ACL replaced. The second surgery was initially less painful due to a nerve root block but overall the knee is significantly more painful now, of course it maybe too early to tell but I noticed the improvement in my knee simply was not as fast as with the 1st one, overall the leg feels worse right now.

Besides just the meniscus being removed there seems to be something wrong with the fibular head as it hurt more than anything else in my knee. I guess only time will tell, the most aggravating this is not having anyone with multiple problems wrong with their knee to compare myself with. I find pcl injuries, acl, meniscus injuries etc but its been hard to find compound problems like my own and therefore I wonder if & when it may heal.

Sorry for the rant but I injuried this last year in OCT and today it feels worse than what it felt like in Jan before the 1st surgery.

[T-Boz]

About having all that menisci removed, it think soon you will start to feel better. Take lots of glucosimine and condroitin. I was told for the next 20-25 years I should feel fine, but after that I will need a knee replacement because of all that one on bone action. The doc also shaved my fibia end smooth because it had been rubbing.

[smitty1971]

I am so upset right now. I have had knee issues for over 15 years (I am only 41) I have had luxating patella surgery and two arthroscopic procedures done to "clean up" my knee. Well, this last surgery was done to "repair" 3 tears in my meniscus, two bone spurs, and clean out tons of arthritis. I just started pt and during one of my conversations with my therapist he mentioned something about me needing my new brace to help support my knee because the doctor took out my meniscus. WHAT!!!! He took OUT my meniscus!!??? Yup, it was right there in writing...entire meniscus removed. I don't even know what to think right now. I understand my meniscus might not have been able to be saved but give me some options before just taking it out. I have requested from two doctors a total knee replacement and have been shot down both times. They say I'm too young. But I guess I'm old enough to keep going under the knife to clean the knee out.
Now I have to wear a painful knee brace at all times except when eating and sleeping. WHOPEE!! and I have to go get injections in my knee to help lubricate it. Then please tell me why did I have the surgery in the first place? Why did you take out my menisus? Why can't I just have a new knee????
I'm so sorry for venting and this is probably not the best way for all of you to get to know me but I figure if anyone can understand my frustration it would be you guys.
Thanks for listening.

[splat]

I hope you're reading more than just this thread. You didn't give your location, but there's a few options outlined in some of the other threads in this forum. My stem cell treatment had me thinking I had a bionic knee at 110 days out. There's a testimonial from Squaw skier Matt Reardon in here somewhere about his meniscus transplant with Dr. Stone. Orthoski is the coolest and most articulate doc we could ever hope to have post here with the sagest of insights. Cruise around similarly titled threads and find what might work best for you.

I know a lady martial arts instructor who has a story like yours... some doc took all of her meniscus in both knees over 20 years ago. She blamed it on her husband, who was an insurance salesman, for having a great policy with 100% deductible. It was like an enticement for unethical docs, she said. She kept training but it finally became unbearable when she got old enough for new knees. The last time I saw her she was off to get the hardware installed.