Mellow Yellow Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 So who here has had a scope done for osteochondroma (benign bone tumor)? I'm scheduled to go under the knife this Monday... never had surgery before and frankly I'm a bit nervous. Any words on recovery etc.... :( :( :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy S. Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 I have had my knees scoped 3 times, but never for that. Always just to clean out busted up cartilage. Its all about the anesthesia. Spinal is quick, but takes a while to recover and your lower back may be a bit sore. Phemoral block didn't work for me (doc started cutting and I flinched - then they gave me a spinal). Epidural was great and minimal recovery. Can't recall what the 3rd one was. Get you house set up before the surgery. Make it so that everything you'll need is easily accessible. If you can stay on one floor the first day, that's best, but not necessary. Get the scrip for painkillers before hand if possible and get it filled so you don't have to stop at the drug store on the way home. Buy a good ice pack before hand and stick it in the freezer. Heck, get two. I like the ones that wrap around and velcro so they stay put. Comfort foods are nice to have in the house. You have an excuse to eat crap so take advantage. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Matt D Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 All my surgery's have been upper body so I can't say what they'll do for anesthesia. They always gave me an iv and gave me my drugs that way. A bag of frozen peas works great as an ice pack. Do not be nervous, surgery isn't anything to be worried about. Its the recovery that sucks, but since you're getting scoped your recovery period will be like 6-8 weeks. I'm currently on week 11 of 16 for my shoulder which blows! It sucks even more since this is the second time for the same shoulder. Anyway... think positive and enjoy the relaxation. Oh, and do everything the doctor and physiontherapist tell you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ghostrider Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 I had a scope but they got in and found out my ACL was missing..whoops! so i ended up getting more than I wanted. But ask the doc about an icing bladder thing. Im not sure what its technically called..but its basically a small cooler with a water pump. you fill the cooler with ice and water. then the tubes hook into this thin bladder they wrap around your knee. It lets you change the temp of the icing and it works great and alot longer than just an ice pack. I actually ended up numbing my knee with the ice cooler if it started to hurt more than the drugs could handle. Also, the white noise of the water pump running is very soothing..perfect for napping. As for surgery time anesthesia, I was knocked totally out..but I also opted for the post surgery nerve block. they numbed me from the waist down. I couldnt move my legs but it was worth it. It gave me 24 hours to get used to the lack of mobility without hurting my new super cool scars. For recovery...have some dramamine or bonine (like dramamine but doesnt make you sleepy) just in case some of the pain killers give you some vertigo or nausea. I also kinda wished i had tied a string to the tv remote control and telephone. I was in a mobilizer though so i couldnt get out of bed by myself. But i was alone once and when i moved the bed sheets the remote and phone fell oof the bed and out of reach and i was stuck watching crappy tv and i couldnt answer the phone. But good luck...no worries..chicks dig scars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 I got the knee scoped for PCL reconstruction a month ago... anesthesia these days is incredible: They insert IV, you talk to nurse, they start cleaning your knee, you start getting nervous that you're not asleep yet, and then you sit up and your knee is all wrapped up and your surgery has been done for an hour. The doctors were right - the surgery itself is a non-issue - it's the next couple of weeks that suck. Assuming your operation is like mine or worse and you need to lay around all day with your leg elevated for a week or more, I agree with Randy: do some serious house preparation. I decided that hobbling around from the living room to the bedroom carrying various pillows for elevation every day and night was silly, so I just threw the mattress on the floor in the living room in front of the TV, and took all my pillows and arranged them so I could lay around in various positions with my leg elevated. I got the extension cord for the ice machine (the ice-water bladder pump thing ghostrider is talking about) set up, got all the canned food and other easy-to-prepare mac and cheese type things organized on the counter so I wouldn't have to bend over or reach up to get the stuff, did the dishes so I'd have a fresh set of clean ones to use, and then basically crashed on the floor of the living room for 10 straight days playing video games and watching TV. Apparently you can get bored playing Grand Theft Auto, and my Tivo doesn't catch nearly enough programming for 18 hours of television per day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UK2TX2CA Posted August 7, 2004 Report Share Posted August 7, 2004 All of your questions, worries and concerns will be addressed over at The Knee Guru Regards, UK2TX2CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlpentalRider Posted August 7, 2004 Report Share Posted August 7, 2004 All this prepping and running around, that's what wives are for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_t Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 Seeing as there is no injury to your knee, your recovery should go fast. What your body typically does is to shut down the mussels around the joint that has had the surgery (thinks that you have had an injury). Rehab form the very first day after is very important. Hopefully you will be given some very minor and stupid sounding little exercises to do. You know what? DO THEM! It will help speed your recovery. The stupid little exercised will keep you mussels firing and from shutting down. I have had 4 knee surgeries and have recovered from all of them just fine. None of mine were from injuries, just over use and genetics. Even though your initial recovery should go fast, pain and discomfort from any bone surgery (or injury) takes a long time to completely heal. Not to worry, bones just take longer to heal completely. I can say this from experience. One of my surgeries was a high tibia osteotomy. Good luck and let us know how you do. kt edit to 4 not 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncermak Posted August 9, 2004 Report Share Posted August 9, 2004 Originally posted by Ghostrider . But ask the doc about an icing bladder thing. Im not sure what its technically called..but its basically a small cooler with a water pump. you fill the cooler with ice and water. then the tubes hook into this thin bladder they wrap around your knee. It's called a cryocuff, and I couldn't have recovered without it. Had ACL rebuilt four years ago (Rock Solid now, God Bless Dr. Moran). same kne scoped again 1 year later. Going in soon for quick cleanup of the other knee... recovery time: ACL 6 Months (I had PT Graft...It's quicker using dead guy parts) Scope: Less than a week GOOD LUCK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northcoast Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 Originally posted by Matt D I'm currently on week 11 of 16 for my shoulder which blows! Oh, and do everything the doctor and physiontherapist tell you. Matt...I feel your pain. Literally. I'm on week 14 of who knows how many more. When I saw the doc a couple weeks ago he said 7-9 more MONTHS. No surfing, snowboarding or anything using my left arm except during physical therapy 2-3 times a week. At least I'm getting paid. ________ Bho Hash Oil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marilyn Cambers Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 Mellow ~ Sorry to hear about you going under the knife ... still, can't be as bad as encountering the knob gobblin ......... glap plah plap! No worries mate!! Happy mending!!!! :) Marilyn ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patmoore Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 I tore my ACL at a skydiving competition in 1969 but didn't get it reconstructed until 1997. The improvement was wonderful. The only caution I can give you is to fight the urge to quit PT too soon. Therapy is time consuming and I cancelled the last few sessions figuring I could do it on my own. As a result, i have some lingering stiffness in the joint that I might have avoided. Two years ago I went back in for a "tuneup" just to clean up a little cartilage. This past winter I only had problems when I spent time in bumps (where I have no business anyway). Good luck! Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mellow Yellow Posted August 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Thank you all for the advice and encouragement. I had surgery yesterday (Monday). The surgeon couldn't remove the problem with the scope so he had to make a 2 or so inch incision. I spent yesterday on my arse with my knee iced and elevated, today I've been doing near the same, although I’ve found I can already put some pressure on it while I "walk" around on crutches... I'll keep you all updated... looking forward to this upcoming season.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gilmour Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 I made a strap to help restore flexion to knees to get that last 15 degrees- I used a freestyle forefoot strap and a rachet along witha tie down strap- I just loop it and rachet the crap out of my knee. As Lost in Space's Dr. Zachary Smith would say..."ohhh, the pain, the pain, the pain...." ________ Yamaha Fs1R Specifications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mellow Yellow Posted September 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 well after being scoped and cut... I'm back to about 90%... and ready for the upcoming season.... no pain!!! woohoo...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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