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What Are The Risks Of A Donor Ligament For Knee Cap?

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Posted on Fri, 24 Apr 2015
Question: Good afternoon,

I am a 22 year old female from Canada. I saw an orthopedic surgeon today. He spoke about the type of procedure I needed. I have questions.

He said he will be drilling a hole into my thigh bone and my knee cap and replacing my ligament with that of a donors. I was told I would need a year of physiotherapy. This should stabilize my knee cap from its constant dislocation problem.

He ordered an MRI to check my knee. Some of my questions are: What ligament is being replaced? How invasive is the procedure? What are the risks of a donor ligament? Would I be more prone to leg fractures and knee shatters with the holes there? Out of curiosity what is the cost of such a surgery in the states? What sports will I never be able to do again? Will this donor ligament go bad? What happens if the donor ligament gets messed up? I have plenty more but this is a few
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava (27 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
donor ligament safe and successful

Detailed Answer:
Hi
For abnormal mobility of patella there is a cause and this is an inherant lax patello-femoral ligament or size of pattela may be abnormally small or if there is deficient bone edges in femoral condyles.correction is done planning on prevalent deficiencies in ligaments and bone or in both or in either condition.Your doctor may have considered for strengthening and shortening of patello-femoral ligament to stabilize it from dislocation.Donor ligament can be from the same side or from the normal side , slicing from extensor or flexor group of tendons in lower thigh bone attachments. some surgeons prefer carbon filamentous synthetic reinforcements instead of a donor tendon, while some use metallic wires which may be removed afterwards in few weeks.
carbon filaments are expensive and stronger but ligament reconstruction also gives good results
Donor ligament from your own body doesnt have a chance for rejection unless infection occurs which is rare chance with asepsis in modern settings of operating rooms
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava (47 minutes later)
The surgeon compared my knee to a game of tetherball. My thigh bone being the bone, patella being the ball and the ligament being the rope.

I was told my new ligament would come from someone who has passes. Not my own. My left knee has the same issue but not as severe.

Is there a risk of me not being able to walk again?
Is there anything specific I should take into consideration before the procedure?
If my patella is too weak to support being drilled into will they replace it? Is that even possible?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava (15 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
no cause to be afraid for donor ligament , patella safe ,will walk normaly

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the query.
Yes your doctor is looking to another donor as your other side too is affected,In any case,after matching and suitable donor with tissue compatibility ,it would be a success, under cover of few medicines to prevent rejection as a precaution
You shall be able to walk as normally as a normal knee permits, after complete healing and recovery in a few weeks time.
You must have faith in your treating doctor- he has already explained in simplified way how simple it would be -
do not get scared of holes by drilling, they heal soon and are done to anchor the transplanted ligament by sutures to bones
your patella is not weak but the soft tissues which keep it in place are weak for which reinforcement surgery is planned for.A tiny hole in patella will be used to suture the ligament from inside out like one puts a shoe lace into holes of flaps of shoe to tighten it-it will be more stable after being fixed
good luck
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava (6 hours later)
Thank you for answering my questions. This is my first major surgery.

How will this effect my spine and hips? If at all.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava (11 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
no effect on spine or hip

Detailed Answer:
hello
This shall not affect your spine or hip.
best wishes and good luck
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Sunil Kumar Srivastava

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Practicing since :1980

Answered : 448 Questions

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What Are The Risks Of A Donor Ligament For Knee Cap?

Brief Answer: donor ligament safe and successful Detailed Answer: Hi For abnormal mobility of patella there is a cause and this is an inherant lax patello-femoral ligament or size of pattela may be abnormally small or if there is deficient bone edges in femoral condyles.correction is done planning on prevalent deficiencies in ligaments and bone or in both or in either condition.Your doctor may have considered for strengthening and shortening of patello-femoral ligament to stabilize it from dislocation.Donor ligament can be from the same side or from the normal side , slicing from extensor or flexor group of tendons in lower thigh bone attachments. some surgeons prefer carbon filamentous synthetic reinforcements instead of a donor tendon, while some use metallic wires which may be removed afterwards in few weeks. carbon filaments are expensive and stronger but ligament reconstruction also gives good results Donor ligament from your own body doesnt have a chance for rejection unless infection occurs which is rare chance with asepsis in modern settings of operating rooms