On the day of surgery the leg is marked and final consent obtained. The procedure is usually performed under general anaesthesia and the anaesthetist will discuss post-operative pain relief. This will usually involve nerve blocks, which keep the leg and knee numb for a while, and analgesic tablets. After the operation the leg is initially…
Preoperatively in outpatients alignment x-rays of the whole of both legs are taken to help determine the exact amount of correction required. A hinged knee brace is ordered which will support the leg while the bone heals and yet it will allow some early range of movement exercises.
The operation is performed when there is early wear in one side of the knee in order to slow down the wear and to ‘buy time’ for the knee. It is also performed in certain ligament injuries where instability of the knee is associated with bowing of the leg.
This operation is a correction to the alignment of the leg, e.g. for a bowed leg or knock kneed leg, by cutting through the bone (osteotomy), changing the shape and holding it with a plate and screws. Wear in the medial (inner) compartment of the knee is treated by an opening wedge osteotomy made in…
This booklet aims to answer questions about what can be done for the worn knee. I believe that if you have knee problems, then it helps if you are aware of the options of treatment and how all the options are interlinked. It is the overall package of treatment that results in improvement in pain…
OutlinePost-operative treatment following allograft meniscal transplantation is similar to regimes following meniscal repair surgery. Progress is slow, because of the requirement for protecting the transplanted meniscus from higher loads while it heals fully in the joint, which may already have early wear changes.Results show that the risk to the meniscus for re-tearing is in the…
Additional procedures can treat problems of the joint surface damage, joint instability or when the leg is out of alignment. When the transplantation operation is performed in conjunction with other procedures the rehabilitation program may change. The procedure possibilities include: • Surgical procedures to repair the joint surface such as microfracture or autologous chondrocyte implantation•…
The procedure is indicated when there is no effective rim of meniscus remaining to support the joint surfaces. This occurs when there has been a large tear and when it was not possible for the surgeon to salvage the meniscus by repairing it. Not everyone needs a transplant but if there is progressive pain and…
Meniscal Allograft Transplantation involves implanting a donor graft (allograft) supplied from a tissue bank in the UK or from the USA. The remnants of the old meniscus are trimmed back to make a fresh bed for the new meniscus which is then inserted by keyhole surgery (arthroscopy) and stitched to the original bed. It then…
After a meniscus tear there are 5 options:• Leave alone and allow symptoms to settle reducing activity levels – safe if this results in no pain and no swelling in the knee• Arthroscopic surgery to remove the torn fragment – a very common and successful procedure• Arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn fragment – performed…
