Grade 4 Chondromalacia

[ship4]

Re: Grade 4 Chrondomalacia

Judy,
I would think if you have no cartilage behind your knee cap and you are rubbing bone on bone (as I was with of the patella), it is going to continue to hurt. I had a lateral release of the patella tendon on each knee when I had my BTKR. Do you have any cartilage left there?
The other question is: Do you have adequate cartilage (meniscus) cushion between your femur and your tibia?
Best,
Crystal

 

[JudyS]

Crystal,

I can not answer your questions but at this point only go by what the MRI stated. Unfortunately the MRI of my hip was totally off. It said mild arthritis, I believe only on the acetabulum. When my doc scoped it , it was widespread severe arthritis, both on the acetabulum and femur ball.

I think that is one reason the doc will scope my knee, to see what is really going on in there.
The MRI said focal full-thickness cartilage defect in the lateral facet with underlying abnormal signal in the patella marrow. The appearance is compatible with grade IV chondromalacia patella.

There it is!!!!

I am off to test the 5th injection by taking my doggie up to first water on our local trail.

Judy

 

[hess]

Judy,

As I stated in earlier, I too am the result of grade 4 chondromalcia. I had my LTKR on June 9, and am scheduled for the other on Feb 18.

I had started with another doctor. Good guy, just didn't do TKR. He thought I had a simple meniscus tear because he did not see much on the MRI. Well, when he got in there to fix the meniscus tear (which was not actually there), he found that I was grade 4 chondromalacia. I am actually glad that he did the scope, because it let him see the real thing, and then it was obvious just how bad things were. He cleaned up what he could, closed it up, and sent me on to someone else.

First I went with high hopes to a doctor that did partials, but he could not guarantee that all of the pain would be gone, just most. This was not good enough, so I went on to the TKR doctor. Glad I did, because he explained that if more than 1 area is affected with the arthritis, the partial would not work!!!

In short, sounds like Josephine is right.....TKR is probably in the cards!!

Good luck,
Hess

 

[JudyS]

thanks Hess,
I now have 4 of you that have been helped in some way by having arthroscopic surgery. It is making my decision easier. I also have pain in my other knee, so I kind of want to find out what is going on and start treating these knees.
Especially while I am unemployed!!!

I just hate to give up exercise now that I am back to doing everything!!

Judy

 

[hess]

It is so tough to think about giving up the "new you" with the successful excercising. My husband just gave me a new bike rack to transport bikes for my 40th birthday. True, my "new" knee feels good, but the old knee is holding me back. I'm hoping that after I get the other new knee in February, I'll be back to biking, and feeling REALLY good by next summer!! High hopes, huh? I know it is possible.

With that being said, I do think it is important to tackle everything now, because hopefully, it will all pay off and you'll be that much happier, and that much more comfortable!

As for the scope, it is probably a good idea to give them a chance to really "look around."

Good luck,
Hess

 

[JudyS]

Hess,
Thanks!! I have always wanted him to look around as I am so leary of MRI results!!

I always feel weird about taking pain medication to go and enjoy my day. It would be great not to need it.

Judy