Patient Education
Author & Editor:
Alexander Sapega, M.D.
By exploring this section you can:
Learn about various knee injuries and conditions.
Understand many of the terms that orthopedic doctors use.
Learn what questions to ask your surgeon.
Review available modalities and sample instructions for post-operative home care.
Learn about patient safety issues in allograft knee ligament surgery.
Understand the causes and prevention of post-operative blood clot complications.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery
The anterior (frontal) cruciate (crossed) ligament, or "ACL" is an integral part of the knee's hinge mechanism. Working side by side with its immediate neighbor in the knee joint, the posterior cruciate ligament, the ACL holds the two main knee bones (femur & tibia) together and helps keep your knee bending on its proper axis, somewhat similar to a door hinge.
Meniscus Repair vs. Removal
The Menisci (singular form = meniscus) of the knee are crescent-shaped pads of tough, rubbery fibrocartilage, which is a tissue commonly referred to as "gristle" in the table meat processing industry.
Chondromalacia Patella
"Soft Kneecap Cartilage". While everyone develops chondromalacia of their joints to one degree or another as they age, the articular (joint surface) cartilage that lines the back of the patella seems particularly prone to gradual deterioration and breakdown. The patella is often the first bone in the body to show aging (degenerative) change, beginning in most of us by the age of 35.
Arthrofibrosis
Stiff Knee Syndrome is a serious condition that can afflict knee joints that have either been recently injured, operated upon, or both. The process begins when the traumatic stimulus of an injury and/or surgery leads the knee to form extensive, internal scar tissue.
Patellar Tendinitis
Patellar Tendinitis is an extremely common malady that can plague almost anyone, from athletes to laborers. It originally took on the nickname of "Jumper's Knee" because it frequently appeared in athletes who performed a lot of jumping and landing activity.
Osteochondritis Dissecans
OCD lesions are uncommon and poorly understood joint surface defects that are found most frequently in the knees of children and young adults. While some OCD lesions heal on their own, many require surgical treatment.
Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis
PVNS is an uncommon joint disease that usually afflicts the knee. It generally appears in either a localized or widespread form, both of which are characterized by overgrowth of the joint’s lining tissue (synovium). The cause is unknown.
Recovering After Knee Surgery
Post-Surgical Aftercare
Patient Safety Issues
How safe are knee ligament allografts?
To learn even more about the above topics, please visit: www.aaos.org
PLEASE NOTE:
The medical information that appears on this website is provided as a service to the community and is for educational purposes only. It should NOT be taken as medical advice, which can only be provided by a physician who is TREATING you. While comments and inquires about our website are welcome, we cannot provide medical advice or treatment over the internet.