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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / February 2006Knees
Hi all - I have not posted to this group before, although I have been "lurking", as they say. I am a 62 y/o male living in Wareham, Dorset (a beautiful part of the country!) and I was aware some 10 years ago of painful knees when walking. Osteoarthritis was diagnosed and the discomfort has gradually become worse so that, although I have no pain while sitting or even cycling, standing and walking more than 100 yards or so is painful. Please may I have your views on the following: 1) I firmly believe that the way forward is for the insertion of man-made or cloned cartilage 'to keep the tibia and femur apart'. I believe the less invasive nature of such implants would aid speedy recovery (and replacement, should this be needed later). I gather that a substance called Salubria has been developed in the US for such use and it has recently been licenced for use in Europe (though, strangely, not the US - perhaps they are using the Europeans as guinea pigs!) How far away is cloning or Salubria from general or experimental use? Or will I have to consider ... 2)Replacement joints: and if I must go down this route ... + What are the pitfalls? + How long is recovery time? + Is it best to have one knee replaced at a time? + I would have the procedure done though BUPA in the South - any tips? + I have heard the op / post op time is very painful - is this true? + How much scarring would result? + How long, with average use for walking, would a modern joint last? + What complications are common? + Any other experiences which might help. Thank you very much in anticipation of your help. Regards, Chris Chris. Jayne of this group can advise on replacement joints. She had a knee replaced last year. Re cloning and culture of cartilage. I know some work has been going on at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore. They may be using it to repair injured cartilage, but I haven't heard of anybody using it to replace worn out cartilage. No doubt there are other centres doing similar work. Please do a comprehensive search via Google and let us know of any interesting findings. I have been holding off surgery for a hip replacement, so can fully sympathise with your views. I agree that it would be infinitely preferable to replace cartilage with a natural product (eg cultured cartilage) than with a manmade contraption, but it doesn't seem that the medics can embrace that at present. Peter Peter - Many thanks for your opinions - it is in fact through Google that I found out about Salubria - take a look at http://www.salumedica.com/salucartinfopat.htm for some details. Also do you, or anyone else in the group, have any views on "CMO"? See http://www.cmo.inuk.com/ I look forward to hearing Jayne's views, should she read this and my original posting. Thanks again, Chris ______________________________________________ > Chris. > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Peter >Also do you, or anyone else in the group, have any views on "CMO"? See >http://www.*********.com/ This is my view http://www.usenet.org.uk/uk.people.support.arthritis.html#uk.people.support.arthritis -- preceed with 2006 to email >2)Replacement joints: and if I must go down this route ... >+ What are the pitfalls? Wouldn't know the only time a surgeon will get near me with a knife will be to save my life . >+ How long is recovery time? A friend had a knee joint replaced Last September from going into hospital to being back home doing housework four weeks >+ I have heard the op / post op time is very painful - is this true? My friend had a hellish time post op for four days . >+ How much scarring would result? Friend has a scar from two inches above her knee to two inches below it must say the hospital did a good job on her you really have to look for the scar >+ How long, with average use for walking, would a modern joint last? I have heard 18 months don't know how true that is though . Personally I would have to be in real pain 24/7 before I would even consider a knee or any other op for that matter . Poster sais, re; knees >>"...How long, with average use for walking, would a modern joint last? I have heard 18 months, don't know how true that is......" Only 18 months !!??? surely that can't be correct can it ???? perhaps 18 years ?? HWB @@@@ >>2)Replacement joints: and if I must go down this route ... >>+ What are the pitfalls? As with any other surgery there can be risks, but the probable improvements make then well worth taking. My mother, 78 at the time, had her right knee done first, then her left the following year. Talk about a new lease of life! She accelerates well past me in my power chair, and leaves me in her wake ;-) She's now 89 by the way, and still powering along. >>+ How long is recovery time? >A friend had a knee joint replaced Last September from going into >hospital to being back home doing housework four weeks Usually now you're in hospital for anything between a few days and a couple of weeks, depending on your individual circumstances. You'll have physio for a few weeks, whilst building up strength in the joint, and then, get yer dancin' shoes on! >>+ I have heard the op / post op time is very painful - is this true? >My friend had a hellish time post op for four days . It is painful for the first couple of days, but you'll get plenty of analgesia to cope with it, and the pain recedes pretty quickly. Again, it's reckoned well worth it to have future pain-free years, not to mention the increase in mobility. >>+ How much scarring would result? >Friend has a scar from two inches above her knee to two inches below >it must say the hospital did a good job on her you really have to look >for the scar It's not a big scar (I've got a bigger one on the back of my hand from a synovectomy (tendon scrape), and it will fade quite quickly. >>+ How long, with average use for walking, would a modern joint last? >I have heard 18 months don't know how true that is though . It certainly isn't true! Usually 10 to 14 years for knee joints. Your mileage may vary, depending on the type of joint used and the state of your own joint at the time of the op. >Personally I would have to be in real pain 24/7 before I would even >consider a knee or any other op for that matter . They don't give 'em out for bugger-all you know; if you qualify for a replacement, you *will* have been in real pain for some considerable time, and in my book, anyone who gets the chance would be a certifiable loony not to take it. Anne Thank you all for your help and advice - and especially Anne (sproket) for her comprehensive answers. Any more views on artificial (cloned or man-made) cartilage insertion? I still believe this has to be the way forward in the future, being less invasive and surely eventually more cost effective than replacement joints. Chris |
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