Injury Tex has done his ACL

[fairfooty]

I have no clue who this surgeon is and he may be amazingly talented. My comment was more hopeful that we have sought out the best surgeon possible. I would highly doubt that the best surgeon for ACL's would be in Adelaide.

Understand what you're saying. But the surgeon is only part of the story. IMO longer term rehab Is the key. The repair of a ruptured ACL is actually quite straight forward these days - even some time post-injury. It was the PT who was most important in my recovery - not the surgeon. Good though he was I saw him once for a post-surgical check and that was it. These guys are masters of self-promotion. A good PT is the real key. And you don't need to go to Germany for that - and wind up with DVT from the trip. But happy to agree to disagree.

 

[AFC979810]

Understand what you're saying. But the surgeon is only part of the story. IMO longer term rehab Is the key. The repair of a ruptured ACL is actually quite straight forward these days - even some time post-injury. It was the PT who was most important in my recovery - not the surgeon. Good though he was I saw him once for a post-surgical check and that was it. These guys are masters of self-promotion. A good PT is the real key. And you don't need to go to Germany for that - and wind up with DVT from the trip. But happy to agree to disagree.

No disagreement from me at all mate. Quality post.

I am rather ignorant on the whole ACL surgery and recovery - was just hoping that as Tex is one of our most important assets as a club we spared no expense in getting him the best treatment possible.

 

[ltdamn]

Anyone with any news from Wakefield?

This?

 

[fairfooty]

No disagreement from me at all mate. Quality post.

I am rather ignorant on the whole ACL surgery and recovery - was just hoping that as Tex is one of our most important assets as a club we spared no expense in getting him the best treatment possible.

I'm not an elite athlete! LOL! Far from it. But I'd go back to Wakefield in a heartbeat. I also believe they are a research centre and surgical training centre and these guys lecture internationally. I absolutely take your point we want the best for Tex - and weighing up the pros and cons of interstate/overseas/ local, going on what I know, I think Tex is in good hands. Honestly, Trent's knee was one of the worst in recent years - I understand the whole knee was an absolute train wreck - so his ACL repair was the easy part. So anyone who can get him back to elite sports at all, even though it didn't last has to be good. There's also the psychological recovery. And that's where Tex will do really well I think. His attitude is superb. He must have confidence that the knee will hold - and I'm sure it will.

 

[Timeface]

Loved this photo of Tex from Saturday's game against the Hawks.

You can see that he's devastated that he can't play, but is still on standby to offer support and encouragement. Legend.

 

[fairfooty]

Loved this photo of Tex from Saturday's game against the Hawks.

You can see that he's devastated that he can't play, but is still on standby to offer support and encouragement. Legend.

Yep and it's this attitude that will get him though really well. Love the hair with the tie and suit pants! Superb! So Tex!

 

[Big Gazoongas]

Anyone seen any tweets from the big fella?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Anyone seen any tweets from the big fella?

Probably not the wisest thing to do if still under the effects of an anaesthetic.

Hope all went smoothly for Tex.

 

[FR0GGY]

Probably not the wisest thing to do if still under the effects of an anaesthetic.

Hope all went smoothly for Tex.

He'd probably tweet something like "left knee a bit sore after op but all went well"

 

[ltdamn]

Update from the club:

http://www.afc.com.au/news/2013-05-07/walker-surgery-goes-smoothly.workstation

The Adelaide Football Club wishes to advise that Taylor Walker underwent surgery to reconstruct his ACL and the lateral aspect of his right knee on Monday night.

Club Doctor Andrew Potter, who was present for the surgery said, “There were no unexpected findings with the surgery, which was successful. Taylor will now rest and recuperate for three weeks before starting his rehabilitation program.”

As good as an outcome as can be expected given the circumstances.

 

[Smoooothy]

found it interesting that they used a tendon from a dead body!

 

[dylan123]

found it interesting that they used a tendon from a dead body!

Same, plenty of us alive Crows supporters would have been more than happy to donate whatever parts he may need!

 

[knobby]

Yep and it's this attitude that will get him though really well. Love the hair with the tie and suit pants! Superb! So Tex!

Agree, Danger, Sloaney have a competitor I reckon for next AFC captain !

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

found it interesting that they used a tendon from a dead body!

Does anyone know the time frame for the allograft? How long before they would know if the tendon takes or is rejected?

As the last thing he would want is an infection come November or December.

The key to the allograft - the repair with a dead man's tissue - remains Walker's body not rejecting the tendon.

 

[dylan123]

Is that why they can't/didn't do the same for the hamstring tissue they put into the knee alex_is_on_fire since there's a bigger chance of rejection? For someone that knows very little about the possible effects of that, it seems like it would be great to do as many that come back from ACL's have problems with their hamstrings due to them cutting away at it (or whatever they do exactly).

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Is that why they can't/didn't do the same for the hamstring tissue they put into the knee alex_is_on_fire since there's a bigger chance of rejection? For someone that knows very little about the possible effects of that, it seems like it would be great to do as many that come back from ACL's have problems with their hamstrings due to them cutting away at it (or whatever they do exactly).

I have no idea - it's all weird science to me.

 

[Jamezy88]

Is that why they can't/didn't do the same for the hamstring tissue they put into the knee alex_is_on_fire since there's a bigger chance of rejection? For someone that knows very little about the possible effects of that, it seems like it would be great to do as many that come back from ACL's have problems with their hamstrings due to them cutting away at it (or whatever they do exactly).

I was rather concerned about having my hamstring tendons used for my knee as well (i had a PCL reco rather than ACL).
This is a copy and past of one of the better bits of information i found on what happens to the graft.

These days, most ACL procedures are performed using human tissue harvested from the patient or a donor. Even in the case of a fresh autograft harvested from the patient at the time of surgery, the piece of tissue is not attached to any blood supply and not covered with the normal synovial cell lining of the natural ACL.

After an ACL autograft operation, the new 'ligament' is at its strongest on the first post-operative day. For the first few weeks, it progressively weakens as the cells are starved of their original blood supply. As a new blood supply grows in - and new cells replace the old - the ligament regains its strength and remodels itself.

Revascularisation

Before the ligament can function like a normal ligament, it needs to grow a blood supply, a process known as 'revascularisation'.
The blood vessels grow in from the fat pad and the joint lining (synovium) together with synovial cells. These cells grow from above and below to form a richly vascular sheath on the outer surface of the graft, while the cells from the deeper part of the graft actually actually die off. Nutrients from the sheath diffuse into the deeper part of the graft and eventually it undergoes its own infiltration of blood vessels and other cells that will take over the role of ligament cells.
This process occurs from about day 10 to the first 6 weeks. Thus during this period of time the graft tissue needs protection to allow this process to occur.
Remodelling

Weeks 6-12 see any bone blocks (eg, in bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts) unite with the surrounding bone, and the graft and blood vessels grow into the graft itself.
At about 4 months, new collagen - the material that characterises ligaments - becomes laid down and the graft begins to remodel itself in response to the forces being applied through it.
Ligamentisation

From months 6 - 12 the structure begins to look internally like a real ligament, although it is likely to have only a little more than half of its original strength.
The natural ACL is complex in structure. I believe that even after the process ofligamentisation, an ACL ligament graft acts only as a gross check-rein for joint displacements, unlike the complex control offered by the fibres of a normal ligament. ​

 

[Jamezy88]

My surgeon explained and showed me a few studies that showed alive tissue, generally responds better and quicker with less chances of failure and rejection than dead tissue. The lateral ligament isn't a primary weight bearing ligament so it's chances of failure are a lot less. He said they dnt use ur primary hamstring tendons, and they should return to about 95% of the prior function.

Theres plenty of videos on google of ACL reco sugery, they give you a pretty good idea what happens if your really keen.

 

[Brenton Davy]

Takes me to think of this.....

Think of the irony if the donor graft was from a Port supporter!

OK now my weird side has had its say, I reckon if anyone can come back bigger and better from this setback, it's Tex. He'll set benchmarks for rehab that future ACL sufferers will have to strive for.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

found it interesting that they used a tendon from a dead body!

Standard practice for this sort of injury.

There is approximately a 5% rejection rate.

Hopefully Tex is in the 95%!

 

[fairfooty]

I was rather concerned about having my hamstring tendons used for my knee as well (i had a PCL reco rather than ACL).
This is a copy and past of one of the better bits of information i found on what happens to the graft.

These days, most ACL procedures are performed using human tissue harvested from the patient or a donor. Even in the case of a fresh autograft harvested from the patient at the time of surgery, the piece of tissue is not attached to any blood supply and not covered with the normal synovial cell lining of the natural ACL.

After an ACL autograft operation, the new 'ligament' is at its strongest on the first post-operative day. For the first few weeks, it progressively weakens as the cells are starved of their original blood supply. As a new blood supply grows in - and new cells replace the old - the ligament regains its strength and remodels itself.

Revascularisation

Before the ligament can function like a normal ligament, it needs to grow a blood supply, a process known as 'revascularisation'.
The blood vessels grow in from the fat pad and the joint lining (synovium) together with synovial cells. These cells grow from above and below to form a richly vascular sheath on the outer surface of the graft, while the cells from the deeper part of the graft actually actually die off. Nutrients from the sheath diffuse into the deeper part of the graft and eventually it undergoes its own infiltration of blood vessels and other cells that will take over the role of ligament cells.
This process occurs from about day 10 to the first 6 weeks. Thus during this period of time the graft tissue needs protection to allow this process to occur.
Remodelling

Weeks 6-12 see any bone blocks (eg, in bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts) unite with the surrounding bone, and the graft and blood vessels grow into the graft itself.
At about 4 months, new collagen - the material that characterises ligaments - becomes laid down and the graft begins to remodel itself in response to the forces being applied through it.
Ligamentisation

From months 6 - 12 the structure begins to look internally like a real ligament, although it is likely to have only a little more than half of its original strength.
The natural ACL is complex in structure. I believe that even after the process ofligamentisation, an ACL ligament graft acts only as a gross check-rein for joint displacements, unlike the complex control offered by the fibres of a normal ligament. ​

Really good post Jamezy - thanks. BTW how did your review go? Well I hope

 

[Jamezy88]

Really good post Jamezy - thanks. BTW how did your review go? Well I hope

Yer well thanks, got my braced changed over to a hinged one (ohh boy did it hurt the first time i bent it though!), which was set to 90 degrees which i can get to know with no pian.. then just got given a heap of exersizes to do until my next follow up!

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

Yer well thanks, got my braced changed over to a hinged one (ohh boy did it hurt the first time i bent it though!), which was set to 90 degrees which i can get to know with no pian.. then just got given a heap of exersizes to do until my next follow up!

All the best with it

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Standard practice for this sort of injury.

There is approximately a 5% rejection rate.

Hopefully Tex is in the 95%!

It's us, it's 2013... we can almost lock in the 5% can't we?

 

[Mattrox]

It's us, it's 2013... we can almost lock in the 5% can't we?

It's 8:30 am on a glorious Adelaide morning and all you can be is pessimistic. Go outside, enjoy the morning sunshine, come back and re-post.