From: eugene@wilbur.nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya)
Subject: Re: Knee surgery
Organization: NAS, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 00:31:22 GMT

In article <1992Sep9.112843.3589@wvnvms.wvnet.edu>
sh240031@wvnvms.wvnet.edu writes:
>I'm scheduled to have orthroscopic surgery don next week to remove some
>supposedly torn medial meniscus.  I'm sure my worries are unjustified and my
>phobia is directly related to the fact I just turned thirty and never seriously
>injured myself skiing before the end of last season.
>
>Anyway, there must be others out there that have gone through this that can
>reassure me I have nothing to worry about and I'll be in shape to start
>instructing again soon.

The following is NOT medical advice.
I had orthoscopic surgery in Nov. 1982.  I can remember when my left knee
first had the problem identified in 1978.  The initial tests were inconclusive
but they wanted to open my knee (6 inch scars).  That was optional surgery.
Then shortly after, I recall the first news of orthoscopic surgery.
Seemed neat.  Almost walk in walk out surgery.

You consult with the orthopedist first.  Always get a second opinion and
options.  He/she should show you how the meniscus sits amid the bone
and how the procedure works.

On the date of surgery, I had my girlfriend drive me to the hospital,
we had a sheet on pre-operative care.  I was given 250 mg valium to take
in advance.  I was taken into the theater, introduced to the "gas passer,"
it was a local only, but he was required to be near by.  Lewis (my surgeon)
said, "Want to look?"  He holds up the scope which gets inserted into the knee.
I didn't get a chance to respond fast enough (Yes; oh, too late), so they
put up a surgical curtain.  They swab the knee, make two brief Xs  (1/2 inch
on a side) on both sides of the knee.  They go in, look around, snip, snip.
Meanwhile, I am just conversing with the aesthologist.  They sew up the
holes.  The knee just feels numb.  It will feel like a truck ran over it
later.  They tape the knee up.  The whole thing took less than an hour.
You have to stay off it for a day, no strenuous activity for a few weeks.
This contrasts with the 6-inch cuts of past (I talked to others I worked with
about this: ugh).

We wait around to get codeine (never used it) and a briefing on
post-operative care.  One has to come back to get the switches out (now they
have soluble ones) and a discussion on what happened (well I cut out 70%
but left a tiny bit in to help with padding...).

This was in November (pre-ski season).  In one week, I went to Yosemite
to sit around and recoup (but I did take X-Cs and skied up fresh snow on
120 for 100 yards and back [this 7 days after surgery]).

I might have to have the last 30% removed, but I don't think that will be
a big deal.  You should probably x-post to sci.med for other opinions.

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@orville.nas.nasa.gov
  Resident Cynic, Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers
  {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene
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A Ref: Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning, vol. 1, G. Polya
Newsgroups: rec.skiing