Cadaver grafts are strange.
Some doctors love them while others hate them.
knee surgury can take approx 1.5 years to "fully heal" from so that in between time is a waiting game of torture in physical therapy..up to 5 days per week for months on end.
Very strict against destroying the new components. Also usually the donor parts are already worn out, they are intact but they are worn to the point that most doctors dont like doing them.
All depends on your situation and make sure you speak at length to your doctor about pro's and cons of each option. whick piece are you looking at replacing? How many peices? Inside or outside? Very different patterns with each.
With such an important part of your body being altered, it is a strange feeling to feel it "different" than it used to be, good, bad? hard to really express into words. its just plain different.
The extended healing time can make some folks get into endless loops of surgury after surgury trying to feel "normal" again. obviously try to avoid this. Ask yoru doctor about realistic expectations for your situation and be honest with both yourself and the doctor when describing what you WANT from your knees for what kind of abuse you will be putting them through.
Depending on the situation, its a sad fact you will NEVER be the same after having such an important joint surgically altered if you opt for a more radical surgury in hopes of bypassing the simple orthoscopic cleanups and the little stuff.
I still fight with the fact I cannot bend one leg more than about a 90*. No kneeling, no crouching, no standing on knees. I have of course accomodated my lifestyle but I will never run, nor play basketball EVER again. Sure I could destory it and just go have it rebuilt again, but it isnt quite as simple as replacing a worn shock absorber on a car. Your knees are very very important. Playing with them is a very slow and painful proccess. It has to be one of the most lied about surguries in medicine.
Orthoscopic (minimal invasive procedure...back to relative normal in 6 weeks or so, with rapid healing to about 80% in first month, then hopefully over course of next 6ing back to 95%+)
Graft- (more invasive and painful healing process relative to the severity of the situation but within first 3 months you should be happy and experiencing good qaulity and movement but risks of internal scarring and range of motion limitations that are life long can happen. Full recovery in approx 1.5 years)
Full Joint replacement- Painful, invasive, drastic, and graphic alterations made surgically to your body. Typically avoided unless other options are fruitless or not an option. New matials in recent years make the lifespan of the new joint in upwards of 20 years "anticipated", but it is a lifestyle altering experience to anyone that is active or athletic.
Email or PM me if can help with anything.......... but all through the different physical therapies I have gone through EACH facility had a dozen guys with similar injuries and ALL had different results for healing. Some of us keep in touch because we got to know each other through all the embarrassing and painful crap we went through together.
Ask hundreds of questions and dont let ANYONE tell you the BS story as follows-
Mr. Jones, thank you for seeing me today. I want to assure you this procedure is very commom and minimally invasive. Nowadays people can get the surgery work within days. In and out no sweat. You will be very happy with it.
If you hear someone tell you this- slap them with a 2x4
-JMO