Knee Meniscus Transplants
A thin wafer of cartilage called the meniscus helps cushion the knee joint. When torn, surgeons often must resort to removing the meniscus because it heals so poorly. Unfortunately, that means big trouble for battered knees. Without the meniscus, people who are too young, too active for knee replacement are on the road to developing crippling arthritis.
The new facts for active people with bad knees: an hour-long, arthroscopic procedure with local anesthesia can restore a healthy meniscus back into the knee. The technique was pioneered at the The Florida Knee and Orthopedic Centers and over 350 meniscus transplants have been done since 1991.
Progress Chart
| Activity |
Time |
| Use Crutches |
3 days |
| Wear Immobilizer |
4 weeks |
| Use Cane |
None |
| Sutures Removed |
10-14 days |
| Physical Therapy |
2-3 weeks (after immobilizer off) |
| Return to Work, Play |
Time |
| Sedentary (Desk Job) |
1 week |
| Active |
3 weeks |
| Heavy Labor |
8 weeks |
| Swimming |
4 weeks |
| Golf (Sneakers, No Cleats) |
8 weeks |
| Running, Basketball, Tennis, Bowling, Baseball, Biking, Weight Training, etc. |
12-16 weeks |
These are general guidelines and represent average experiences for people who are patients of The Florida Knee and Orthopedic Centers. Keep in mind that healing and recovery times will vary with each person. After joint replacement singles tennis, jogging and heavy weight lifting are not generally recommended activities.
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Hyaluronate Treatments—
Five Steps to Arthritis Knee Pain Relief
If you’re afraid surgery might be the only answer to your arthritis knee pain, you need the new facts.
A new treatment called hyaluronate injections is a good option when:
 Pills don’t help
Pills bother stomach
Don’t want cortisone shots
No relief from physical therapy
Don’t want surgery
Can’t have surgery
Here’s how it works: Arthritis causes chemical changes in knee fluid. Just when it’s needed the most, the thick fluid normally found in the knee becomes so thin and watery it can’t lubricate and cushion the joint. Hyaluronate injections put back into your knee the thick substance you’ve lost due to arthritis.
Supartz is the brand name of hyaluronate chosen by doctors at The Florida Knee and Orthopedic Centers. Supartz offers 9-12 months of pain relief for about 80% of patients according to recent studies. Supartz treatment is 5 injections given one week apart.
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