Two years in operations

With op number 11 suddenly being sprung upon me today, and only just over a week away, I felt the need to chart the history of my ops. I don't care if this is of no interest to anyone else. It's cathartic for me, and that's all that matters! So, here it is. Fully referenced too... I am THAT sad!

January 2010
1. Arthroscopic left knee meniscetomy (1) after cartilage tear after sitting in a chair after my birthday party.
2. gynie op. Won't share the details.

June 2010
3. emergency faschiotomy (2) to relive acute compartment syndrome (3), and repairs to tibial plateau fractures and detached anterior cruciate ligament (seven pins and a plate;) after major road accident
4. (less than 24 hours later) second emergency faschiotomy to relive second instance of compartment syndrome
5. (4-5 days later) closure of one faschiotomy
6. (1-2 days later) closure of final faschiotomy

January 2011
7. emergency caesarian section under general anaesthetic to deliver Dylan. The one op I'll never mind having as it saved his life.

August 2010
8. Carpal tunnel release surgery (4)
9. Pin removal (left knee)

October 2010
10. Achilles tendon lengthening surgery

May 2011
11. Arthroscopic right knee meniscetomy and investigation of anterior cruciate ligament (suspect repair has partially failed) and suspected tearing of the medial collateral ligament (1)

References
(1) Meniscetomy: "a tear of a meniscus is a rupturing of one or more of the fibrocartilage strips in the knee called menisci. When doctors and patients refer to "torn cartilage" in the knee, they actually may be referring to an injury to a meniscus at the top of one of the tibiae. Menisci can be torn during innocuous activities such as walking or squatting... Tears can lead to pain and/or swelling of the knee joint. Especially acute injuries (typically in younger, more active patients) can lead to displaced tears which can cause mechanical symptoms such as clicking, catching, or locking during motion of the knee joint. The joint will be in pain when in use, but when there is no load, the pain goes away.

A tear of the medial meniscus can occur as part of the unhappy triad, together with a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament."

Fasciotomy: "Fasciotomy or fasciectomy is a surgical procedure where the fascia is cut to relieve tension or pressure (and treat the resulting loss of circulation to an area of tissue or muscle). Fasciotomy is a limb-saving procedure when used to treat acute compartment syndrome. It is also sometimes used to treat chronic compartment stress syndrome. The procedure has a very high rate of success, with the most common problem being accidental damage to a nearby nerve."

(3) Compartment Syndrome: "Compartment syndrome is the compression of nerves, blood vessels, and muscle inside a closed space (compartment) within the body. This leads to tissue death from lack of oxygenation due to the blood vessels being compressed by the raised pressure within the compartment."

(4) Carpal Tunnel Release surgery: "Release of the transverse carpal ligament is known as "carpal tunnel release" surgery. It is recommended when there is static (constant, not just intermittent) numbness, muscle weakness, or atrophy, and when night-splinting no longer controls intermittent symptoms"

All sourced from Wikipedia

Helen Crook
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