OATS knee surgery

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I am looking for information about OATS. A friend has been given a choice of total knee replacement or OATS, but is having trouble finding information about the OATS procedure, consequences, and expectations. I would appreciate any and all information.

Thanks, Russ Powell motherruss@aol.com

-- Russ Powell (MotherRuss@aol.com), February 11, 1999

Answers

There is a good review of the issues at http://www.drmendbone.com/carttran.htm We are doing this at the division of Arthritis Surgery and are pleased with the early results. It is generally intended for patients whose knees are not yet severe enough for a total knee replacement (tkr). For many patients who need a tkr, an OATS procedure would not be indicated. There are some patients for whom the balance between an OATS procedure and a tkr might be quite equal. A frank discussion with the recommending surgeon on the pros and cons of each procedure would be necessary to help the patient come to an informed conclusion. Both of these operations are 'elective' and therefore the patient needs to understand as much as possible. We will try to put something up about this procedure on thsi site in the near future.

-- David Hungerford, MD (dhunger@jhmi.edu), February 11, 1999.

I AM NOW 5 YEARS POST OP FROM MY OATS, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE SURGERY WAS SUCCESSFUL IN REPAIRING THE POTENTIAL OSTEOARTHRITIC DAMAGE THAT WAS BEING DONE, BUT I STILL HAVE SCAR TISSUE AND BONE SPUR ISSUES FROM THE SUBSEQUENT MOTION ADJUSTMENTS MADE BY MY KNEE. I ALSO CAN ADVISE THAT A SLOWER, MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO P.T. WILL DECREASE THE TIME OF RECOVERY AND INCREASE THE CHANCES OF A SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION OF THE TRANSPLANTS INTO THE AFFECTED REGIONS. BE CAUTIOUS OF COMING BACK TOO SOON, AS WEIGHT BEARING AND TWISTING TYPE OF ACTIVITIES CREATE EXCESSIVE STRESS AND SWELLING, WHICH MAY CAUSE MORE OF A SET BACK THAN A RECOVERY. GOOD LUCK.

-- J.R. NEVEU (BNEVEU@IKON.COM), May 09, 2004.

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