My ACL Surgery

Updated 03/11/2004

I was having trouble with my left knee swelling after several hours of heavy physical activity, running, softball or such. I was also having some minor back pain that I thought might be the result of my knee somehow, since I had undergone diagnosis of my back including a MRI with no results or problems found with my back. I had injured both knees approximately 15 years prior motocross racing, but overall was in very good physical condition, at age 34, other than the left knee popping out of place occasionally and sometimes swelling.

I went to Dr. Robert Dickey, mainly because he was one of the doctors that my insurance would pay for if I used, and was diagnosed with torn (detached) ACL of both knees. His suggestion was to perform ACL surgery on both knees starting with the right knee, which was the better of the two, and perform a second surgery on the left knee after about six weeks so I could do the rehabilitation for both knees at the same time. I was not even aware of any problems with my right knee.

My thinking was that while I was still young enough that my recovery would be better and that it would prevent or lessen problems later in life as well as being covered by insurance at the time. I decided to go with whatever suggestions made by Dr. Robert Dickey.

After the surgery there was tremendous pain and the screw that was placed in my knee started to work its way out and come to the surface. This screw was simply to hold the bottom of the newly inserted ACL tendon until it bonded to the bone, which should to have taken place by this time. I returned to Dr. Robert Dickey approximately 5 months later. He suggested that I be checked into the hospital for another surgery to remove the screw, after telling him that it would simply have to remain as it was, since I did not have the money for another surgery. He removed it in a simple procedure at the doctor’s office. I went though physical therapy and continued it on my own for the next several years. The swelling never went down and I never regained full use of my right knee.

Three years later I opted to see another doctor at what I believed to be a much better hospital. Dr. Derek K. Lichota diagnosed that another arthroscopy was needed on the right knee and I agreed. During the surgery Dr. Derek K. Lichota discovered a growth of calcium or bone deposit where the ACL had been inserted in the original surgery. Dr. #2 diagnosed this was preventing full extension of the knee and this condition had caused a limp in my walking which in turn caused the cartilage on the femur to be worn down. The worn spot on the femur cartilage was roughened or perforated to promote bleeding and cartilage regeneration. Following the surgery I did all of the standard physical therapy.

One year later I still did not have full use of the right knee. I walked with a limp and it was often painful. This resulted in a fall if I was not prepared for small one or two inch steps or unevenness in the ground. I could only stand for about 20 minutes at a time and had some knee pain almost constantly. The condition worsened to the point that I could not walk on my right leg at all. Massive swelling ensued accompanied by more pain. I went to my general practitioner Dr. Jack Haynes and he referred me to Dr. Shannon Cooke who examined, drained and x-rayed the knee. Dr. Shannon Cooke decided that another surgery was needed and it was performed to remove inflamed tissue. The standard physical therapy took place and at this point 2 months after the surgery I still had very limited use of the knee. I cannot run and walk with a limp and full extension or flexion is impossible.

Since this third surgery I have attempted another physical therapy approach with no results. I have also been to a clinic specialized in pain management. This produced no satisfactory results as well.

It is apparent that the knee will never be as good as it was before the first surgery and that further treatments or surgeries will be required in the future. I was never warned that the initial surgery could lead to such problems, sure I signed the papers that were written by and would have taken a lawyer to interpret, and thought that I would only be better after the surgery. Needless to say I never had the left knee operated on. If I had it to do over again I would never have had the ACL surgery and defiantly gone to another doctor for a second opinion. I can no longer ski, bicycle, run and many other activities that were a major part of my life.

More reasons Why not to have ACL surgery, anterior cruciate ligament.

Short version of my ACL history