They took my ACL!!!!

luckydog · Jun 21, 2004

Hi fellow TPF people

Just got back from having my knee surgery and the bastard removed my ACL completely! Now i have two months to see if i can walk without falling down or have a reconstruction. I need a chockie and a hug

vonnagy · Jun 21, 2004

holy cow! i have no idea what an ACL is, but it does seem like a vital part of the anatomy! How are your sharp shootin' skills, lucky? ... that doc should feel pretty uncomfortable for his malpractice!!!

Sharkbait · Jun 21, 2004

Wow, that's interesting!! :| Tellin ya, you should've come here to Indy. Guy that did my wife's replacement has done over five thousand acl repairs. He's the team surgeon for several pro sports teams.

They don't have your leg in an immobilizer, do they??

Sharkbait · Jun 21, 2004

FWIW von, the ACL is the anterior cruciate ligament. It's one of 4 ligaments that runs through your knee, and provides lateral support. It helps keep your knee from buckling. You can live a pretty full and healthy life without an ACL, but if you ever plan on playing sports (even at rec level) or even running or anything like that, the ACL is necessary (although you can wear some nice expensive knee brace that will provide similar support. Kel had one of the Donjoy braces while her knee swelling was going down--it's a $1600 brace :shock: ).

Lucky, it's really important to keep mobility in your knee. Let me know if you'd like some of the exercises and stretches that Kelly had to do.

Not Neve · Jun 21, 2004

Luckydog, be a good patient and do what the doctor ordered! So if they reconstruct (after taking it) what do they use? I know they can use cadaver bones for surgeries but haven't heard of using cadaver ligaments.

A friend of mine has one of those expensive Donjoy braces but she's a horrible patient and rarely uses it.

Lucky, I hope you're up on your feet in no time at all!
:hug:

terri · Jun 21, 2004

luckydog said:
Hi fellow TPF people
Just got back from having my knee surgery and the bastard removed my ACL completely! Now i have two months to see if i can walk without falling down or have a reconstruction. I need a chockie and a hug

You can have your hug.... :hug: Try not to hold it against your doc that you have a bum knee. :wink:

It's gonna be slow and annoying, but heres's hoping you work through it all just fine!

Sharkbait · Jun 21, 2004

Frankly I've never heard of them going in, removing the stump, and not fixing it. Must be an oz thing. :?

Kel's was reconstructed from a strip of patellar tendon from the same leg. The other option with her was to take a patellar tendon strip from the other knee. She went with same leg so she didn't have two sets of scars.