Here are some pictures of my MPFL surgery scars one year post surgery. I'm really not a fan of my legs, so I'm not too excited to post these, but many people have asked what the scars look like, so I'm willing to swallow my pride to inform others. :) Obviously, this is my inner knee. You can see two of the bigger scars, which are actually not even one inch long. They're still pretty pink after only one year out, but I have so many scars that these couldn't bother me less. From this angle, you can also see a smaller scar closer to the kneecap. That is from the arthroscopic procedure that was performed at the same time as the MPFL reconstruction.
I can't remember if I mentioned this or not, but I chose to use my own hamstring graft instead of cadaver tissue. I wasn't against using the donor tissue, but since I am under the age of 40, the doctor recommended just using my own tissue. He said that after age 40, he recommends the cadaver, as it takes longer to heal after 40. In this picture, the graft is located under the most visible scar--the one closest to the middle right. It never hurts at all. Most of the aches I get at this point are from the arthroscopy, which was done to "clean up" some damaged cartilage under the patella.
In this picture, you can see the scar at the top of my knee. It probably looks longer than it is, as it's only about 1 1/2 inches long. It's still very pink, but I know it will fade in time. If you look at my left knee, you can see a long 5-inch scar that is from a reconstructive surgery I had at the age of 17. I guess this procedure was more akin to the Fulkerson procedure that is still done today, but my recent surgeon now prefers the MPFL reconstruction over the Fulkerson. So, I'm 37 now, so you can do the math of how long ago that surgery was. Scars don't bother me, though. In fact, I think they're kind of cool....
8 comments:
Wow...my scars are so different!!!!! I had a Kaiser surgeon as well in the Bay Area. I love him. I have 5 scars total but I had a lateral release on top of the scope an mpfl. It's amazing what they can do! My surgery was recent so my knee is still swollen. Thanks for being cool and sharing!!
Joanna
Thank you so much for you blog, and the information on your mpfl recovery process. Very helpful and inspiring. All th best, hope you are back to wearing those high heels!
Thank you for your posts. I am scheduled to have surgery in a few weeks and have been really worried about the recovery process. Sounds like it was painful and tough but that you worked hard and made it through. I hope I can be as strong! One of my biggest concerns is about just after the surgery... I live in NYC in a 3rd floor walk up, so there is no way into my apartment but to use the stairs. Were you able to touch your leg down (even without bearing weight, just for stability) after surgery? I think if I can't do that, I will have to sit on the stairs and slide up! Also, I'm wondering how long before you could actually bear weight on your leg. I'm sure this is different for everyone, but any idea of what to expect would be helpful. Thanks, glad you're doing so well!
Glad you are doing well. I'm supposed to have my mpfl reconstruction soon.. Could you please update the images here ... They aren't showing
At this point, would you recommend your surgeon to others in the Bay Area? May I ask who did your surgery?
Sorry. Never mind! Found the name in your next post.
Aww the photos don't seem to be showing up anymore. I'm about 2.5 months post op and having used a bunch of creams and essential oils, they don't look too bad. Still very evident, but better than I had hoped at this stage. Would love to see your photos if you can get them back up. Thanks so so much for your blog x
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