Meniscal Tear

[smokie36]

Hi folks

I suspect I have a tear in my right knee which happened a couple of weeks ago and I am weighing up whether to have this looked at in the UK (which on the NHS will likely take several months) or privately in the UK or Thailand.

Any info on which hospital and surgeon would be recommended to do this and a rough guideline of price would be useful.

Thanks!

[Sheryl]

For knee, hands down favorite is Dr. Panya at Bumrungrad. https://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Panya-Wongpatimachai

Consultation will only set you back around 1,500 baht, but if it turns out you need arthroplasty, that is quite expensive (i.e. around 300,000 baht).

If it were me I'd go ahead and have a consultation and then see what it is that is needed.

[smokie36]

Thanks for the reply Sheryl....as I'm only 41 I think a knee replacement is a tad unlikely!

It will be an arthroscopic shaving...or slim chance of a repair to the meniscus.

[h90]

Thanks for the reply Sheryl....as I'm only 41 I think a knee replacement is a tad unlikely!

It will be an arthroscopic shaving...or slim chance of a repair to the meniscus.

I would take some time and consult several doctors.

The knee is strange....sometimes things heal that shouldn't be able to heal and sometimes small things make problems forever.

I know of several knee problems that needed years to heal but finally they did without any doctor. Also a read that many knee operations that are done aren't necessary or don't improve things.

I am not saying that you don't need any operation or doctor....I only want to tell to get multiple opinions and check things before you jump on the first surgery recommendation you get.

[Issangeorge]

In the late sixties/early seventies, the greatest defenceman of the time, had knee surgery, and then again and again, his career was cut short because of the pain in his knees. An orthopedic friend of the family, who was quite familiar with the situation, said that they should never have had operated the first time, it just led to further operations, so before you have an operation consult with several specialists, and think about it very carefully. I tore an Achilles tendon about 7 years ago and consulted with two specialists, and they both said that at my age and athletic interests, golf and walking, they did not think an operation would be worth the long healing and physical therapy needed after. I think they were right.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Issangeorge

[h90]

In the late sixties/early seventies, the greatest defenceman of the time, had knee surgery, and then again and again, his career was cut short because of the pain in his knees. An orthopedic friend of the family, who was quite familiar with the situation, said that they should never have had operated the first time, it just led to further operations, so before you have an operation consult with several specialists, and think about it very carefully. I tore an Achilles tendon about 7 years ago and consulted with two specialists, and they both said that at my age and athletic interests, golf and walking, they did not think an operation would be worth the long healing and physical therapy needed after. I think they were right.

I had 3 times knee problems that needed more than a year to heal.

Never went to a doctor and now after a couple years my knees are complete OK again and I do heavy weight squats with them.

At this time, they would surely have a look inside.....But knees may need a very long time to heal. Human knees aren't the best design, possible....

[smokie36]

Thanks for the replies.

I am going to give it a few more weeks and see if it settles so will see.

Obviously I am not going to rush into anything but it is affecting my ability to swim at the moment which isn't good at all.

[h90]

Thanks for the replies.

I am going to give it a few more weeks and see if it settles so will see.

Obviously I am not going to rush into anything but it is affecting my ability to swim at the moment which isn't good at all.

Two stories:

I had a problem on one knee after a crazy bicycle ride. It hurt 8 month.

Went to some doctor between and it didn't help. My mother told me to go to her doctor.

A clinic...empty...no staff no customer. She thin look like a ghost.

Checked everything and sounded reasonable.

Gave me 2 injection (not in my knee). Afterwards she told me that is a therapy she would use only on 80 year old people where it doesn't matter anymore.

I went out and it never hurt again.

The doc was shut down 2 years later. She studied with the best marks but got crazy later.

I fall the stairs and hurt my knee that I couldn't step on it for 10 days (not even a little bit). half a year later I needed to be careful. 1 year later it hurt if I made something stupid.

2 years later no problem.

My mother had a ski accident with 60. It hurt a lot for 2 years. Afterwards OK, but if she makes a wrong move it hurts like you stick a needle into it. Now with 70 she forgot about it, I think last time there was a problem is like 65-68....

So things go very slow on the knee.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Try some bone broth and or gelatin. Even Jello is good except for the sweeteners.

The easy to assimilate collagen helps a lot for connective tissue soreness and repair.

Brazillian JuJitsu practioners often take it everyday.

Can mix gelatin in with other foods and drinks and barely notice it. Can buy powered gelatin in Thailand for about 450 per kilo.

In US etc can get optimally extracted grass fed bovine gelatin... Not sure what type is sold in Thailand. Maybe Porcine which is lower quality but still better than nothing.

http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/why-broth-is-beautiful-essential-roles-for-proline-glycine-and-gelatin/

Edited October 5, 2014 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[macleans]

Suggest Dr. Chanin Lamsam. He's one of the most sought after sports med doctors in Thailand. He's a head of the sports med team that looks after the Thai Youth Olympics team and was once a head doctor of Thailand national football team. He's operated on the knees of numerous professional athletes, especially football players. He's currently a head of the sports medicine unit at Siriraj teaching hospital. He has private hours at Bangkok Hospital and Thonburi Hospital.

https://www.bangkokhospital.com/en/centers-and-clinics/The-Bangkok-Academy-of-Sports-and-Exercise-Medicine/

http://www.thonburihospital.com/2013/Doctor_Detail_en.aspx?Id=456

[FBN]

Better to have an MRI to exclude a meniscal tear sooner rather than later; especially if it affects non weight bearing exercise such as swimming. Muscle wasting occurs very quickly with pain and/or the knee "locking up" as is diagnostic of a meniscal tear. Once the quads are weakened, rehab after perhaps a arthroscopic intervention will take longer.

Meniscal tears won't heal on their own.

[steelepulse]

Any recommendations to repair a torn meniscus in Phuket? I have seen a couple Dr's at Bangkok Phuket, but open for suggestions if Sheryl or anyone else has recommendations.

[Sheryl]

There are two Gertman orthos at Phuket intl Clinic

http://www.phuket-international-health-clinic.com/doctor-profiles/prof-dr-hans-h-paessler.html

http://www.phuket-international-health-clinic.com/doctor-profiles/dr-gerhard-melcher.html

[steelepulse]

There are two Gertman orthos at Phuket intl Clinic

http://www.phuket-international-health-clinic.com/doctor-profiles/prof-dr-hans-h-paessler.html

http://www.phuket-international-health-clinic.com/doctor-profiles/dr-gerhard-melcher.html

Thanks Sheryl, looks like this is a private clinic operating out of a private building, would these guys be able to do the actual surgery, or just refer? I'll contact them and ask in case you're not sure.

[Sheryl]

Have to ask them, I don't know.