The First Operation in My Life

January 2020. I had a pain in my left knee and got rocking which I cannot bend my knee. I could not stand up easily so I saw a doctor in my hometown. The doctor said you need to have a surgery to effect a radical cure. Although I took a second opinion in another hospital just in case, the doctor said same thing to me. That is why I decided to have an operation.

On 12th February 2020, I had a surgery for treatment of my left knee.
This is the first time in my life.

Now（24th April 2020), still getting treatment. I am happy the person who have problem because of hurt like me or who do sports.

※The contents in this blog are just my experience. Please note that I am not an expert for medical. When I could not find the formal name or term of diseases or treatment, I just write literal translation. I am sorry. Thank you for your understanding. I hope you enjoy this blog:)

What injuries did I get?

Actually, I had two injuries in this time.

These are “Osteochondritis Dissecans; OCD”(damage of cartilage) and “Meniscal lesions of the knee”(medial meniscus injury)

About Osteochondritis Dissecans

What is cartilage?

Cartilage is covering with the part coming into contact with femur and tibia The function is like cushion to relieve impact and friction between bones when joint moves.

What is my cartilage condition before operation…?

Osteochondritis Dissecans is coming off cartilage because of pressure to knee in many times. For example when you do vigorous exercise.

In my case, the cartilage(red circle below picture) came off. (sorry for only Japanese kanji description)

The first doctor said that your cartilage was wearing thin. However, I did not take that seriously so much.

In the second hospital, the doctor said your cartilage was coming off.

When I put my weight on my knee, I felt a pain. This is because of Osteochondritis Dissecans.

About “Meniscal lesions of the knee”

What is meniscus?Where is it？

Meniscus plays an important part in the functioning of the body. It is functions to divide loads, stabilize knee joint and relieve impacts like cushion.

These are between femur and tibia. There is one of each between inside and outside of knee. The shape is like “C” (see below picture)

What is my meniscus condition before operation…?

My outside meniscus of left knee was damaged.

When you see pictures of MRI or CT, you can see meniscus in your knee like above picture. But in my MRI and CT pictures, there is no meniscus in outside left knee. (I have a meniscus in inside left knee) Moreover, the damaged meniscus debris was catching in center part of knee.

From 15 years ago , my knee sounds when I bent and extended. The doctor said that is because meniscus was catching in behind of knee.

About operating I had

The doctor explained he would transplant cartilage and excision of meniscus to treat my injuries. However, he told me that according to the condition he would also performs repair operation of meniscus.

Nevertheless, the scheduled surgery time was 2 and half hours, the surgery took 4 hours. I did not remember at all because of general anesthesia though….

Operation for Osteochondritis Dissecans

That was “Osteochondral trabecular transplantation”

The two parts of cartilage from side of femur in my knee was transplanted the damaged cartilage. The space of damaged was large so the two parts are needed to cover.

After operation, I saw the picture of the part of transplantation. The damage was covered completely.

Operation for Meniscal lesions of the left knee

That was “Arthroscopic surgery of lateral meniscectomy ” and “Repair operation of meniscus.” (This is not formal name in medical. This is just literal translation. Sorry…)

I think repair operation was the reason why the operation took a long time.

My damaged meniscus were all removed. If the meniscus would be better, the doctor could sew up the meniscus. However, in my case, the meniscus was shattered….

So he took my tendon from behind my thigh, folded it, and transplanted it as meniscus. The function is not perfect like meniscus but still better to protect my knee.

Actually, this repair operation is rare case in Japan. Espesially, in the hospital, this is the first operation at that time.(The doctor performed it in another hospital.)

In other countries, there is an operation to transplant meniscus by others meniscus but in Japan it is not common(or cannot do it??).

Conclusion

This is the first surgery which I experienced in my life.

Thanks to the doctor, the surgery was completed without any issues.

This is just my experience. I will write the sequence of events or life of rehabilitation next time.

Thank you for reading!

See you again!!