Anyone had Arthroscopic Knee Surgery in the Lower Mainland?

[dank.sinatra]

So I decided to shell out the cash for a private MRI after about ten months of tolerating awful knee pain. Very glad I did as it confirmed what I was pretty sure to be a torn meniscus. However I don't have the money to pay for a private surgery.

Was wondering if anyone out there has been themselves or knows anyone who has been through this process via public health care? My GP estimated around 2-4 months just for a freaking call back from the surgeon to schedule an appointment likely many more months down the road.

Does anyone know the wait time for surgery? Any tips on expediting the process? Any advice on recovery/what to expect after? The estimated cost of private surgery? Will my knee ever feel the same as it did pre-injury?

It's times like this I'm insanely jealous of the medical treatment of professional athletes.... shoulda gone pro man.

Also sorry for a question that could seemingly be researched on its own, but it was surprisingly impossible to find this info through google. 

Thanks for any advice!

[dank.sinatra]

edit: .......... damn, I thought I was in the Off Topic section. Mods? Any chance you could move this over there?... Sorry, my bad.

[Wilbur]

I've had two knee surgeries.  One for the meniscus, another for ACL repair.  All in the public system.

Wait time for surgeries were minimal in both cases, wait time for the MRI was the big one.

1st, tore my meniscus playing squash.  I was a student at the time.  Went to the doctor, said I for sure I had a torn meniscus with a possible ACL tear.  He said when I went in for surgery for the meniscus they would do a quick scope to check out the ACL too.  Wait for that surgery was less than two weeks I'm pretty sure.

During that surgery they didn't see anything wrong with the ACL but they couldn't say with 100% certainty.  In hindsight, I'm sure it was torn because the stability in my knee was never the same since the first injury.  My knee would give out at times fairly easily (ie plant leg for a ball hockey slap shot and another time doing jumping jacks).  Asked my GP about an MRI and he more or less talked me out of it because I was able to recover quickly each time my knee buckled.  I probably mentioned it twice in about two years. 

One day, my knee buckled while on a hike up Sumas Mountain.  I pretty much had to crawl down the mountain, so next time I went to the doctor I straight up asked for an MRI.  This was in May, I got an MRI the following March.  The MRI revealed an ACL tear.  Got a surgery date the following June.  Had to work on my feet that summer, so had to reschedule for November.

I never felt that the surgery wait times were overly bad.  Perhaps because I was never experiencing chronic pain.  I did feel it took a bit of convincing to get an MRI though.  Both surgeries went as well as they could've, particularly the ACL surgery.  My knee has been great since.

[canuktravella]

get into specialist  if its really bad they will put surgery on table if its really needed rightaway i riped my cartilage 20 yrs ago in right knee   had surgery 5 days later my knees like 95 percent as good as it used to be not bad for 20 yrs after surgery 

[alt kilgore]

I've had surgery to repair a torn meniscus as well with the public system. (Unfortunately they also found a heapload of arthritis in there as well).  The wait time was around a year in total. There isn't much you can do about that if you are not, as you say, a professional athlete. 

And, it was another whole year or so after surgery until I felt completely confident on my knee. So expect that too.

But that said, its all worth it after that. Still get some mild pain once in awhile, the arthritis will always be there, but its so much better now. I can walk distances and ride a bike again.

Good luck!

[Freaky Freak]

I have had 7 total surgeries on my right knee

Stretched my MCL at 16 in hockey

Torn ACL and MCL in hockey at 17 (draft year FML)

Torn Meniscus and wrecked my Bursa in Lacrosse at 19

Torn ACL MCL PCL & LCL skiing at 40 (4 surgeries and 1 more clean-up to go)

 

Get Dr McCormick or Dr Chin outa UBC (do reaserch on surgeon and wait for best one possible)

I got a doctor in WR  (don't know if i should post the Germans name) to do my first surgery after skiing accident and he screwed it up and went to Chin to fix it cause McCormick was only doing Olympic athletes at the time (but Chin is great)

 

 

Lastly, the only advice I can give you is do the rehab properly and DON'T GAIN WEIGHT

And pray that you don't have arthritis like me

 

 

 

 

[mpt]

I'd recommend Dr Leith, he works with Rick Cellebrini who is the Physio for the Canucks.  I've seen many of Leith's surgeries and he's very good.

[hockeyville88]

I'd recommend Dr Leith, he works with Rick Cellebrini who is the Physio for the Canucks.  I've seen many of Leith's surgeries and he's very good.

I've heard very good things about him, but his wait list is up to 2 years for surgery 

[Chicken.]

I have 2nd degree tears in my ACL and MCL, along with a significant meniscus tear and cartilage damage - all from an awkward soccer collision (perhaps some were re-torn as I've twisted my knee a few times previously but nothing as serious)

I was advised to not rush into surgery and focus all my effort on seeing how well I can rehabilitate it. The surgery option is always there, but it can never be un done. It happened 1 year ago today and I am recently playing soccer again, although I don't yet feel at the level I was - going the non surgical route has pros and cons but I am glad I stayed patient and took the advice of Dr. Boyer who I initially was referred to for surgery.

Put on honest effort into physiotherapy and surround yourself with the right people. I feel for anyone with a knee injury now after going through an incredibly painstaking rehab process which was generally 1 stop forward 5 steps back. Good luck..  only you know how your knee feels, there are always risks in getting surgery.

 

[Wilbur]

I'd recommend Dr Leith, he works with Rick Cellebrini who is the Physio for the Canucks.  I've seen many of Leith's surgeries and he's very good.

I've heard very good things about him, but his wait list is up to 2 years for surgery 

My meniscus surgery was with Dr. Leith.  I must have been lucky as I hardly had to wait at all (granted that was back in 2005).

Dr. Grover (in Chilliwack) performed my ACL repair and seems to have done a great job (6 years later, not one issue).

I'll echo the physio sentiment.  It's a must.  Walking in pools really helped me regain my confidence.

[Mr.Habitat]

I tore my meniscus and acl playing hockey when I waa 16, my knee cap also dropped down and I needed full on invasive surgery so not the scope so I'm sure your recovery will be nothing like mine but mine was long and a hard road back.

 

was on crutches for 2 months , had to learn how to walk again pretty much. I had like 12 staples in the cut. Physio was really hard  and painful. My knee was and will never be the same, (I'm 29 now)  it gives out easily and I can't play any even casual sports without a heavy brace. 

 

[mpt]

I've heard very good things about him, but his wait list is up to 2 years for surgery 

I get people into see him much less than that

[hockeyville88]

I get people into see him much less than that

Glad to hear. A teammate of mine is waiting on surgery and she can't play hockey till she gets it and recovers. She was told it could be up to 2 years before she gets in so my fingers are crossed for her that it's much sooner 

[mpt]

Glad to hear. A teammate of mine is waiting on surgery and she can't play hockey till she gets it and recovers. She was told it could be up to 2 years before she gets in so my fingers are crossed for her that it's much sooner 

does she have a known diagnosis?  Is she waiting to see him or waiting for a surgery time?

[hockeyville88]

does she have a known diagnosis?  Is she waiting to see him or waiting for a surgery time?

Sounds like it's not confirmed that she'll need surgery. They're trying to avoid it with physio. Perhaps that's the reason for the delay in seeing Leith 

[AV's Coin]

I had knee surgery. Surf accident and could not straighten my leg completely. I believe it was torn cartilage. Went to a specialist and had surgery within a couple weeks. Doctor said to skip the MRI as he would just look around while he was in there.

Pretty impressed with the whole experience - except I think one leg is shorter than the other.

 

On the flip side my brother has had knee problems and found it hard to get an MRI and/or surgery. I guess it depends on the doctor. Maybe pretend that it effects your daily life ie pain or nuisance.