Top 10 knee surgery highlights

Robin's surgery went well and he is home for recovery. Here are a few highlights from the experience.

1. It takes about an hour and a half to install a new cadaver ACL and it's an outpatient procedure so you'll be home by noon.
2. It can take up to two days for two nerve blocks to wear off and is pretty painful when it does. (Robin's wore off today and we are counting the minutes until Robin can take the next roundof pain meds.)
3. A combination of anesthesia effects, pain medication and antibiotics, all with side effects of dizziness and light-headedness, combined with a leg numb from two nerve blocks, makes for a scary experience when getting accustomed to crutches.
4. Ambulating is commonly used in the medical world instead of "getting around."
5. The St. Augustine Surgical Center does not have water, snacks, comfortable chairs or a comfortable temperature (it's freezing in there!) so prepare accordingly.
6. ACL and meniscus repair involves 4 incisions, 11 staples, a leg shave and scrub, 5 injections, 2 vials of blood removal, a shot of valium and an antibiotic injection.
7. A large vial of blood contains only 8 to 10 ccs of platelets (used in Robin's elbow and knee injections to repair cartlidge and soft tissue injury).
8. An ice cuff machine is very expensive ($255) , very cumbersome, not guaranteed to work and is difficult to convince the manufacturer that the unit really failed and needed immediate replacement.
9. A CPM machine (constant passive motion) is rentable only and its goal for ACL recovery starts at a 60-degree bend and progresses to a 120-degree bend after a week or so.
10. If you're tired enough, you can sleep through the drone of the CPM machine and the pump of the ice cuff machine.