ACL reconstruction & menisectomy (meniscus)

[aann]

hello...sino sa inyo ang nka experience or may knowledge regarding ACL reconstruction & menisectomy?

how much for each procedure?
which hospital?
how long bago mkpag-work uli?
other info would be appreciated..

tnx!

[ILuvDetailing]

Our fellow monday group member unfortunatedly tore his ACL early last year, he was operated on by Dr. Canlass, Php 80,000 yung total cost - Php 50,000 for the surgery. Recovery time is about 6mo. to a year depending of your rehab.

[cyberdoc95]

Hey Aann,
ACL or anterior cruciate ligament injuries and repair usually takes a long time kasi that knee should be immobilized. Healing depends on the age of the person, extent of the injury and associated problems like DM(diabetes mellitus).

You can approach any tertiary hospital and look for an orthopedic surgeon. If you have contacts sa UP-PGH, they have a very good surgery department that could help you financially. Probably cut the cost to up 50% than in a private hospital.

I think I've read that there are other practitioners on this group.

[aann]

thanks for the replies..

in my case, it would be covered by an insurance company as part of our benefits here in our office.

i went to makati med as dun ako nkpag check-up and MRI..the doc suggested the 2 operations i posted (sa subject) then told me to ask the OR & our insurance for costs etc...i went to the OR...tngnan nung receptionist dun yng logbook nila..may mga 30-60K sa procedures depending sa room type..pero she said d daw sya sure kng yun tlga lng ang costs ksi, ang nkakaalam nun is yng supervisor nya...after this finorward ko din sa clinic namin to inquire abt this..tinaning ng nurse namin yng insurance company tpos sbi around 13K lng daw..naguluhan tuloy ako...concerned ako w/ the cost ksi may limit lng ang coverage ng insurance namin...gus2 ko sana ipagkasya sa budget ksi syang din nmn pg gastos pa ko..ang lam ko diff hospitals offer diff rates eh...so yun ang issue ko ngyn..i want to know lng sana d diff rates (rough estimates) ng mga operations na to...

tnx uli sa replies nyo..

[Ungas]

My right ACL is torn but never had it operated since the doctor's bill plus hospital will cost around 100K for the procedure. Add the recuperation period which is atleast 6 months more.

Just work it out on gym with proper program to help restore the lost strength.

[frt]

JOn? di mo pina opera? wow!

Si LF nang ateneo team torn ACL din.

[Ungas]

Nope, binabawi ko na lang sa leg workouts yung hina para pantay ng left knee.

I can afford the operating costs, but not atleast 6 month long therapy. Which could be longer if the muscles don't respond that quick.

[altec]

swerte na nga ang mga acl ngayon. When I had my acl done in 1987, open surgery, kasi 1989 nagstart ang arthroscopy procedure to include acl reconstruction. Therefore, yung recovery ko took at least 6 months. Naka cast yung tuhod ko for 6 weeks. Today, arthro na lang yan, di pa full cement cast ang tuhod mo. If you are in your 20's, you will be 75% within 3 months, even less if matyaga ka. If you get old, recovery takes longer. What they say up to 6 months is if you are into active sports that require the heavy knee use. But for day to day activity, you will be able to walk and even do light jogging na in 2-3 months.

The problem if you don't have it done right away is that it may get worse, even if you do strengthening exercises, unless you are willing to give up active sports. This assumes your acl is only partially torn. If totally torn, delikado, konting maling apak lang, you can twist it and worse, cause you to fall down, increasing the risk of injuring something else. Eventually, your muscles will weaken when you get old, and then what will you do? Have your knee fixed na rin? By that time, MAS matagal na ang recovery mo. Something to think about. The 6 months long therapy is actually just the 1st month, to bring back the flexibility of the knee. After that, strengthening na lang yan (magiging body beautiful ka pa ulit).

[aann]

Sir Ungas:
saan hospital po yng snsbi mong 100K?

Sir Altec:
yup yun din sbi ng doctor. masmabilis na nga ngyn yng recovery kesa dati. in about 2 hrs after ng operation pwde na nga raw umuwi yng patient e. and noon pag may ACL injury little or no chance at all bumalik sa strenuous activities ang na-injure, ngyn mkakabalik daw tlga bsta proper ang rehab.


yng skn i really need to undergo yng menisectomy daw ksi kung hindi, maapektuhan daw yng ibang parts ng knee ko. as for my ACL reconstruction, pwde ko na daw isabay yun pag ngpa-menisectomy ko or pwdeng next time nlng. ang ACL is for the stability lng daw of the knee. meaning u could go about w/ a torn ACL but you couldn't do strenuous activities such as play basketball, soccer etc.

[altec]

aann, why would you have them touch your knee and then just do your meniscus? And diyan ka na, tuloy mo na rin ang acl. When I had my knee done, it was acl with meniscus. Then last year july, had it arthroscopy again to fix a loose meniscus. Sabi ng doctor ko, I only have 25% meniscus left. Needed to have it done, kasi there was a loose meniscus, parang may door stopper yung tuhod ko, locks all of a sudden, but moves again almost immediately. I maintain an active lifestyle kasi. The doctor said it was not related to the 1st injury. It just happens. Had the doc check my 1st acl operation na rin, he said it was very good up to now. Of course, he says it's not as good as new, and expect earlier arthritis related to such injury.
With arthroscopy, outpatient procedure, and I walked out of the hospital! I have a friend who had arthro on his acl. He walked much much earlier, and overnight lang sa hospital. To compare, the old style forced me to stay in the hospital for 5 days, and crutches for 8 weeks.
By the way, the doctor basically confirmed the articles I read that if you have acl and meniscus problems and you don't have it done right away, you increase your probability of experiencing arthritis related to the injury at a much earlier age than if it was fixed, up to 40% chance at mid-late 30s than a normal uninjured knee. The probability goes up the longer the knee is not fixed.

[aann]

altec:

yup yun din ang naisip ko, na isabay na yng 2 since nandun na rin ako eh. ang issue ko lng tlga is bka lumampas yng expenses sa benefit limit ng insurance ng office ko. thats why kelangan ko mlaman, a rough estimate, ng costs nito sa diff hospitals. tpos meron pang therapy every other day for 2 months sbi ng doc.

[altec]

how coincidental. When I was at the domestic airport just last week, kasama ko ang ortho doctor na kilala ko (not the one who did my knee). She was coming from an ortho convention in Manila. We got to talk. May kilala kasi ako who had his kid's knee done by canlas a year ago, 100K daw ang PF pa lang? Kasi kay Eufemio, 180K daw, tawad na yan from 200K. According to her, they do have a guide, but the rate will depend on your type of room, and how you impress them on your "capability" to pay. If you have insurance, they will charge you extra because fixed yung rate na ibibigay ng insurance sa doctor, and to the doctor, it is not enough. Sige na lang, at least part of the expense mo sagot ng insurance. Tawaran mo na lang ang doctor. And don't use your SUV and your rolex when you visit the doctor or else..hmm madatong!
ragarding the therapy, ang problema ngayon ay ang mga doctor, baka may ka-tie up na rehab therapy center, that's why they will endorse you to have it done there. With my knee, the doctor gave specific instructions. 1st, do knee flexing in water, kung may bathtub sa bahay, doon pwede. Then with knee strengthening, nautilus system ang gamitin, hindi free weights. So i just enrolled at a good gym, ang bayad ko ang gym monthly fee lang. Then I just followed what the doctor suggested. You will know hanggang saan kaya ng tuhod mo sa rehab. Don't force it. Next thing you know it, body beautiful ka na! Pang porma!

[aann]

wow ang mahal nyan sobra ah...saang hospital ba yan? yng doctor na nag check-up skn sa mkt med sbi nya pag dun daw ako ngpaopera nung 2, alanganin daw magkasya sa 120K (limit ng insurance ko), plus may therapy pa daw...pag sa manila doctors bka daw kumasya pa. onga pla, yng 2 "screws" (dko sure) na ilalagay daw for ACL ko d covered ng insurance so kmi rin daw gastos d2. may 4K, & may 8K na screw daw. (each)

[wiretap_md]

Grabe talaga ang PF ng mga ortho noh? Hehehe.

Yup, I can vouch for the ortho surgeons trained at PGH. Rest assured you're in good hands when it comes to the expertise. Yung prices lang ng PF ang hindi ko ma accept.

Basta mga tsikoteers that need ACL repair, waive ko na ang PF ko......5-6 years from now :-) Tapusin ko lang training ko and fellowship in sports medicine then pwede ko na siguro gawin lahat ng ACL. Si Ungas nga may balak na ;-)

[aann]

wiretap:

sayang 5 yrs pa..hehehe..chka malas, d rin ksma PGH sa pwdeng hospitals nung insurance namin..sayang!

[Ungas]

Yung price quoted sa akin was 10 years ago sa St. Lukes, nalimutan ko na rin name ng doctor sa tagal.

I did gave up active sports and retired from my basketball career. I just hit the gym for more strenuous exercises.