debra's acl surgery

by debra
(texas)

hi my name is debra and im 44 i tore my acl in my right knee im having surgery in a little over a week from now my doctor is using a acl ligament from a donor (cadaver) just curious if anyone has had this surgery and if so what can i expect in terms of healing time .

Comments for
debra's acl surgery

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Nov 03, 2009
Rating

timeline NEW
by: Bart - SII

Allograft reconstruction usually allows for a slightly faster recovery in the early stages. There is often less pain than with an autograft because you don't have pain from a harvest site.

Overall, the timeline for full return to unrestricted activities is usually about the same - 6 to 9 months. The allograft patients I have worked with in the past generally get their motion back faster, have less pain, and, in my experiences, have less issues with scar formation and adhesions.

Bart

Nov 02, 2009
Rating

Allograft ACL NEW
by: Kelley

Hi Debra,

I'm 48 and just had ACL with allograft on Sept. 23rd. I guess my experience has been about average. I'm generally a quick healer, but this was more intense than I expected. I had no pain the first 24 hours, but once the shot in the knee wore off, it was really tough for the next few days. Not intolerable, just really uncomfortable. The second week I saw major daily improvements. I'm at 6 weeks now and I'm hoping to be set free from my brace at my app't. next week. I am just now starting PT--not sure why my OS has me waiting this long, but I have been doing the exercises they sent me home with. (towel under heels, leg lifts, etc.) I sometimes wonder if my surgery was a success--if so, I guess all this will be worth it. I just hope I never have to go through it again. Once is enough! Good luck with your surgery!

Nov 02, 2009
Rating

Surgery w/ Allograft NEW
by: Rebecca Kemp

Debra - Best of luck to you. I had my ACL surgery back in April w/ allograft (cadaver) and it went smoothly. I walked out of the surgery center & was in rehab the next day. Although I can now look back and see it as a breeze, it was a tough road w/ being diligent on excersize and stretches. My pain was minimal as I had an epidural and a spinal block - HEAVEN!!! They said it helps w/ the healing process.

Not that this will happen to you but I had a 2nd surgery 1 month ago to remove the ACL hardware because I had a nickle reaction and the meniscus stitches were removed since it healed.

Best of luck to you & keep your attitude positive, you can do it with determination & some hard work.

Rebecca

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to ACL Surgery Stories