OATS -MACI Considering oats procedure

Bluesky37

new member
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Jan 11, 2021
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Hello all, my apologies if this not the right space to ask this question. I played sports all my life into mid 20s with little to no injuries. I get tendonitis occasionally in both knees. I now (or did) jog lightly for exercise a few times a week up until summer 2020 when I noticed some swelling and tightness in my right knee. I stayed off it other than working and normal life but after a few weeks it felt stiff and started locking. I had an MRI done that showed
Full-thickness chondral defect in central aspect of medial
femoral condyle, measuring 4 mm by 8 mm. I saw a respected ortho that recommends the oats procedure. I was not able to have surgery at the time for various reasons and now would be able to however my pain now is pretty mild even with jogging. Would it be best to do the surgery to prevent further degeneration or is it best to wait until the pain returns? Is there a possibility it has healed? I am happy to do the surgery but also can't find information on how necessary it is. My surgeon thinks it will help prevent further injury but if I'm not currently having much pain is it worth doing? The recovery sounds very long with no real guarantees. Anyone have experience with this surgery? Thanks so much in advance!
 
@Bluesky37
Welcome to BoneSmart, glad you joined us! :welome:
You are posting in the right spot.
Is there a possibility it has healed?
Osteoarthritis does not heal, once the cartilage is gone.
Would it be best to do the surgery to prevent further degeneration or is it best to wait until the pain returns?
IMO, I would let pain be my guide in deciding to have surgery. You may want to take this
Score chart: how bad is my arthritic hip/knee , to keep track of both your pain and function, in deciding when to proceed with an OATS.
The recovery sounds very long with no real guarantees.
The most important decision you will make is selecting your surgeon. You will want to find an orthopedic surgeon who does a lot of OATS 100+ a year to optimize your chance for success.

Here is a link to members who have had an OATS procedure , and to Members considering OATS.
 
@Bluesky37 ,
Glad you found the information I left you helpful, good luck in your journey. Keep us posted on how you are doing.
 

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