Angela C.

In the Fall of 2014, I began experiencing some knee pain coupled with restricted knee movement. I let three weeks pass thinking I would just "walk" it off as I had done so many times in my life. I finally visited with an orthopedist who ordered an x-ray and an MRI. The diagnosis - Osteochondritis Dissecans (in layman's terms - a hole in my knee). This condition is considered rare for someone who is 46 and there are 5 surgery options with no preferred one. I was in no position to decide which procedure was best for me and knew that I needed to be treated by one of the best orthopedic hospitals in the country. I made a few calls and was quickly referred to Dr. Danyal Nawabi at HSS. His staff accommodated me very quickly with an appt. to see him. I was immediately comfortable with Dr. Nawabi, not just because of his impressive credentials, but because he spent time explaining the x-rays and MRI and really helped me to understand my surgery options. The easiest and least invasive option was the arthroscopic removal of the lesion, which would leave me with a hole in my knee and potentially many more knee problems down the road. The most invasive was an allograft procedure along with the arthroscopic removal of the lesion (bone and cartilage). The allograft involved a 3-inch incision which would enable him to clean the area and replace my bone with cadaver bone. I opted for the latter and 3 months after surgery, I was walking well and back in heels. The first few weeks of post op are very important. You will leave the hospital with a CPM (continuous passive motion) machine, crutches, a brace and an ice machine. The CPM machine must be used for several hours per day for two weeks with a goal of reaching 120 degrees flexion. Ideally, you should ice your knee each time you use the CPM. I was in a straight leg brace the first two weeks and a less restrictive brace for several weeks after. I started physical therapy 7 days after surgery and was pretty diligent about keeping my appointments. The exercises are important and so is the right physical therapist. Overall, I am happy with the procedure I chose and the progress I have made. Dr. Nawabi is great and one of the best I have dealt with in a very long time. Besides being immensely talented, Dr. Nawabi takes a genuine personal interest in the successful recovery of his patients.