Dr. Mark - osteotomy or knee replacement

[dg2112]

I am 44 yrs old and considering a distal femoral osteotomy. In high school, i had all cartiledge removed from outer part of my left knee. My knee is to the point where I need to get a partial implant w/i the next year or it will no longer be an option.

since i am so young, i am struggling between getting a partial to correct my problem now, or need a full knee or osteotomy when the pain gets worse.

i am concerned about partial due to my age and limitations of implant. i have read and been told that i am too young for any type of replacement.

As for osteotomy, I can expect about 10 years and the recovery is more difficult. Osteotomy will wear out the good section of me knee so I will eventually need a full knee replacement.

Any suggestions, need more facts?

[DrMark]

I have had excellent experience with DFOs in athletes. One can expect more than ten years service if one's BMI is 25 or less, an one doesn't smoke.

Total knees work great in Harley riders.

Lateral unicompartmental replacements work like poop in everyone.

[dg2112]

mark,

what do you mean by bmi is 25 years or less?

Will an osteotomy ruin the good part of my knee requiring a full replacement when it fails?

will a full replacement be more complicated after an osteotomy?

any chance an osteotomy could last 15-20 years? it took me 20 plus years to ruin my outer knee without any cartilage.

should i be mad at the doctor that removed all of the cartilage in my knee?

thanks

[DrMark]

dg2112 mark,

what do you mean by bmi is 25 years or less? BMI IS A MEASUREMENT OF HOW FAT YOUR ARE. OSTEOTOMIES LAST LONGER IN PEOPLE WITH ORDINARY BODY WEIGHT

Will an osteotomy ruin the good part of my knee requiring a full replacement when it fails? THE IS ON RATIONAL EXPECTATION OF AN OSTEOTOMY RUINING THE STILL FUNCTIONING PART OF THE KNEE

will a full replacement be more complicated after an osteotomy? IN MY HANDS, NO. iN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO HAS NO CLUE, YES.

any chance an osteotomy could last 15-20 years? it took me 20 plus years to ruin my outer knee without any cartilage. IF YOU AREN'T FAT, DONT SMOKE, AND HAVE THIS DONE BY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOINIG, YES. BUT SINCE I HAVEN'T EXAMINED YOU OR SEEN THE X-RAYS, WE ARE ONLY TALKING IN GENERALITIES.

should i be mad at the doctor that removed all of the cartilage in my knee? IT SEEMS A LITLE LATE FOR THAT.

[MikeD94]

dg2112,

You said you had all cartiledge removed from outer part of your left knee. Are you referring to the meniscus or the cartiledge? If cartiledge then why would any doctor do that? ? I wish you best of luck in your decision and outcome.

DrMark,

Assuming a person has torn/missing meniscus along with torn ACL how long does cartiledge usually last for an average person before bone to bone or arthritis occurs assuming no lengthly running? How about with reconstructed ACL?

Thanks,

MikeD

[DrMark]

It depends on how much cartlage was removed, whether it was medial or lateral, and how active the guy is.

Best idea is to get your ACL fixed, and also consider the cartlage/allignment issues that may be present.