I HAD THE CARTICEL PROCEDURE DONE WITH A HIGH TIBIAL OSTEOTOMY IN SEPT 2004. I CAN FINALLY SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING THIS PROCEDURE I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A FEW THINGS WITH YOU. 1) DR JACK FARR AND HIS STAFF ARE TOP NOTCH PROFESSIONALS 2) IT IS A VERY VERY LONG PROCESS WITH A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS 3) THERE IS A LOT OF PAIN INVOLVED. HANG TOUGH, VICODIN AND OXYCODONE WILL BE YOUR FRIENDS. DONT WORRY OR PANIC, JUST TAKE ENOUGH TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF AND RELAX. YOU WONT BE A DRUG ADDICT 4) BE PATIENT AND DONT PUSH IT--TAKE IT SLOW 5) I WOULD DO IT ALL AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT 6) FEEL FREE TO E-MAIL ME FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE PROCEDURE------- BIGIKEHOOD@MSN.COM

I fell down on ice with my daughter 12/7/03. I went to the ER and was told I had swelling. Slowly, the more I used my legs to walk to work from train, drive, or carry my daughter... I was unable to function without severe pain. MRI showed Chrondomalacia in Patella and Femoral Areas. I underwent Arthoscope of right leg showed all weightbearing joint to be lacking cartilage. Doctor says we will need a cartilage graft? Just underwent the left arthoscope. This knee shows meniscal tear, ACL tear, cap maltracking, fluid, cartilage damage behind knee cap. I feel I must have been placing all weight on right leg due to left leg injury, causing the weight bearing joint to have no cartilage. In interim, I am STILL IN PAIN. I can hardly walk on right leg. Has anyone had cartilage grafting. What other options, I tried "vitamins" they did not help. I am 29 mother of a 2 year old that needs to get back to work, but legs hurt tooo much. Is Meniscus done for? What about lack of cartilage in right leg??? Jennifer Please email me at home if you have gone through this. I have now had to go to doctor for depression of non-movement. Lifeovreilly@comcast.net I am using wheelchair and walker if I go anywhere far? Is this going to be permanent? Any good Philadelphia doctors for second opinion???

I fell down on ice with my daughter 12/7/03. I went to the ER and was told I had swelling. Slowly, the more I used my legs to walk to work from train, drive, or carry my daughter... I was unable to function without severe pain. MRI showed Chrondomalacia in Patella and Femoral Areas. I underwent Arthoscope of right leg showed all weightbearing joint to be lacking cartilage. Doctor says we will need a cartilage graft? Just underwent the left arthoscope. This knee shows meniscal tear, ACL tear, cap maltracking, fluid, cartilage damage behind knee cap. I feel I must have been placing all weight on right leg due to left leg injury, causing the weight bearing joint to have no cartilage. In interim, I am STILL IN PAIN. I can hardly walk on right leg. Has anyone had cartilage grafting. What other options, I tried "vitamins" they did not help. I am 29 mother of a 2 year old that needs to get back to work, but legs hurt tooo much. Is Meniscus done for? What about lack of cartilage in right leg??? Jennifer Please email me at home if you have gone through this. I have now had to go to doctor for depression of non-movement. Lifeovreilly@comcast.net

The surgery went okay. I certainly was not prepared for the painfully slow rehab. It's been five weeks since the surgery (30 Nov 2004). I still have some swelling that has yet to go away--not sure if this is normal. Does anyone know how to tell if the surgery was a success early on? If anyone has any questions please contact me. Gregg

I am an 18 year old who is having this sugery done July 20, 2004. I am interested in the results of this surgery in teens. I am heading to my first year of college the end of August, and I am wondering what condition I will in for the beginning months of college. Thanks

I am a 44 year old male 6'5" 225 lbs,tuesday feb 10 had aci performed on 3 different places of knee,surgury took 5 hours to perform. Doctor put in 50,000,000 cells, flew home the next day went to PT following day and am feeling fine today. Have quite taking meds and looking forward to knee getting better and getting back to playing golf within a year. I put up with the constant pain for past 2 years and local doc wanted to do total knee replacement. I went out of town for this surgery and feel it is my only chance to lead normal life. My father has had 2 knee replacements and his quality of life stinks. Even if this does not work I feel i made the right choice.Would like to hear from people with things that i really need to watch for or recommendations. Matt

I received a carticel implantation after 4 failed surgeries for osteochondrites. The implant was done on aug. 11 I was able to walk on dec. 22. I have been dilegant about my physical therapy but I am having popping sounds and crackling in the knee. There is very little information available about progress in the surgery and what you should be aware as far as warning signs for overloading the graph. I would interested to hear from someone on their progress in the program and exchanging information on the subject.

Hi, I would love to hear from people who have under gone this surgery. I am interested in how things went afterwards. I just had my surgery 11/4/03 so am new into this.

In the past 3 years I've had 3 different knee surgeries (as a result of a basketball injuries new and old) and have spent months either in a brace or CPM machine. Since I was only 40 at the time the Dr did not want to do a total replacement so we discussed many options. The first surgery, was a scope, performend by another ortho Dr. That only partially solved my problem. I then went to another Dr (my savior) and he performed the next 2 surgeries. They had to be done in satges. First he performend an Opening Wedge Osteotomy in 12/01. He basically broke my leg and inserted a wedge, plate and 4 screws. This revovery was about 8 weeks of which I was in a cast for 6. When he did this surgery he also took a biopsy of my cartlidge. I waited 8 months between surgeries because I wanted to enjoy the spring and summmer riding season along with a family vacation to CA. During the second surgery in 8/02,he performed a meniscal allograft (a new miniscus from a donor) along with a Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI). In the ACI he transplanted new cartlidge, grown in a petry dish from my biopsy and implanted it in my knee. It will continue to regenerate itself. The rehab for this was about 10 weeks of which 8 was in CPM machine for about 8 hours a day. It was not fun. About 1 week after this surgey I developed a blod clot in my opposite knee and spent 5 day's in the hospital. I found out the clots can form at the location of a previous surgery. I had that knee scoped about 20 years ago. That set me back about 2 weeks. Once I was off the blood thinners a had blood work down that revealed that one of my protein levels (I do not remember the protein) was below the accepatable range therefore I am prone to clots. If I ever have orthopedic surgery again and will be be in bed for a period of time I will be put on blood thinners. I'm now 16 months out after surgery and I just finished my first 5k in 3 three years. I'm back running between 3-5 miles several times a week on the treadmill. I've riden about 2,000 pain free miles this season. I've enjoyed 100 mile rides without any pain. My doctor has even cleared me to start playing basketball again. I'm still a bit hesitant to attempt playing because I can do everything that I want and need to do. If anyone want's the name of the Dr, just let me know. He's, located in Northern NJ, very progressive in his treatment and has worked on many olympic, college and professional athletes. I can be reached at rrush@metlife.com or pattyandrob@comcast.net Thank goodness for patience, ESPN and cable TV.

I am a 52 y young , still very active former athlete.I have undergone 2 arthroscopies on my right knee and am now a candidate for an artificial knee.I still have the services of healthy cartlidge on one side of my knee , however I am down to the bone on the other.I would be highly delighted to hear from anyone who has undergone cartlidge cell implantation.