OT: What would you do?

[maymom96]

History: Two years ago, my then 10 year old son hurt his knee several times. He got kicked while playing soccer, fell off his horse landing on a rock and then was kicked by a horse. His right knee took all the blows.
We took him to a bone doctor who did a MRI in 2/06. It showed a meniscus issue. He went through physical therapy and when that didn't work, they did a shot in his knee. That helped for a short time but the pain returned.The PCA felt my son needed to be scoped but the doctor said no. The doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong and came to the conclusion that the knee wasn't healing properly because of ds's flat feet. When he started to wear arch supports, the pain got better.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. DS started complaining that his knee hurt. I assumed it was because he has went through a big growth spurt as he hasn't gotten hurt lately. I tried getting him into the same doctor he seen in 06 but they couldn't get him in for a month. A new bone doctor came to town and they were able to see DS the next day. So that is where I took him.
The first thing they did was X-ray the knee. It showed a fractured knee cap. The doctor had ds in a knee brace and scheduled a MRI for Saturday. Today was the follow up appointment. The fracture is an old break and the doctor is guessing it's from 2006. He feels that the MRI didn't pick up the fracture because the bones weren't shifted. The bones shifted between the two MRI's and the body tried to heal it by making a fake joint. If the fracture would have been found in 2006, ds should have had a pin put in. Now to mess with it could result in bone dieing.
Since the knee cap isn't bothering ds, the doctor isn't worried about it. What is bothering ds is a tear involving the lateral patellar retinaculum and the meniscus. Both of these were in the MRI findings in 2006.
The doctor would like to scope the knee. Best case, the doctor doesn't see anything to repair and ds can't put weight on that leg for a week. Worst case is the doctor has many repairs to make and ds can't put weight on that leg for 6-8 weeks. No matter what, he has to do another round of physical therapy.
So I must now make the decision to get the scope done next week or to hold off. If he has it done next week, he faces spending summer vacation on crutches, not being able to swim, ride his bike, go for walks, ride his horse and perhaps not play football for school in the fall because they had to repair the knee. Yes they could do the scope and nothing needs to be repaired.
If it doesn't get scoped next week, he'll continue to have knee pain. Will everything get worse if we wait, I don't know. The doctor just said, if it hurts it needs to be done.
I have asked him what he wants done. He doesn't know. He wants to have fun this summer and not be stuck hopping around on one good leg and crutches. But he's also tired of his knee hurting.
What would you do if this was your son?

 

[Luv Bunnies]

What would you do if this was your son?

I would have the scope done as soon as possible. Let the doctor look in there and see what's going on. Even though your son wants to enjoy his summer, it's probably the best time to have it done. He would be far more miserable trying to keep up with school work and hobbling around school on crutches. In the summer, he can take it easy while his knee heals.

The other reason I would have it done immediately is to avoid risking further damage to the knee. Your son is still young and will be needing to use that knee for a long, long time. It's best to figure out what's wrong now and get it fixed before it becomes an even bigger problem and causes him even more pain.

Hope everything works out for the best.

 

[RMulieri]

Have the scope done asap.Knee pain/injuries are not something to mess with.Better to be out of commission for a weeks,than have worse problems down the road.

 

[karliebug]

I would definitely get it done ASAP.

 

[powellrj]

Speaking as someone who has had 2 total knee replacements before they were 50, get it done now.

If you wait until after school starts, he may have to miss class time and it could put him behind in school. I am guessing he is about middle school age.

I had one knee done in the summer and one in the winter and it was much easier to recover in the summer because you could get out more and its easier to get to PT when its nice than when there is snow on the ground.

 

[Fingerpaints]

I would have it scoped now and hope for the best. If it needs repairs, I would also have it done ASAP. It may mess up this summer, but he would be in better shape in the long run.

 

[coyandrew]

I had some of the same issues. When I was 15 I hurt my knee after I slipped pushing a wagon. At the time, I was a rising football player and probably would have played in college if I would have done the right thing with my knee. I went to the ER, they x-rayed it, said it was a bruise and to take it wasy. I played football the next week and kept pushing through the season, all the while my knee was getting weaker and more painful (of course I didn't tell my parents because I wanted to play and the Dr said it was just a bruise). Before getting hurt, I could leg press almost 1000 pounds, 2 months later, I could barely do 500. Finally admit to my parents my pain, keep going to dr's, got scoped which helped a little but put off a total knee reconstruction. I have gone through multiple surgeries because I put it off and a tremendous amount of pain. Fast forward to now (30 years old) and I am going to get my ACL, MCL and meniscus repaired because I put it off to have fun.

From a person who has dealt with the same thing, please get it done. He may no thank yo for it now, but he will later.

 

[pednurse]

I've had 4 knee surgeries (2 each knee).....all arthroscopic surgeries.....get it done now. Especially at his age, you'll be impressed with how quickly he is able to recover even if there are a lot of repairs to be made. And it will definitely be better to do in the summer rather than winter (trust me from experience on that!). And at least he won't be trying to keep up with a 4-year-old and a 10-month-old during his recovery time as I was after my last knee surgery! LOL And trust me, the knee will only get worse (thus making the repairs more difficult and the recovery time longer) if you wait.

 

[Taja]

I've had numerous knee injuries from dancing--at a time when the options weren't remotely as good as they are now. I'm facing knee replacement surgery in the next year or two on one leg; the other isn't as bad. Not fun in middle age!

Based on hindsight--and current availability of options to repair potential injuries--I would go ahead with it now. We're in a different climate, so I would opt for late fall/very early spring here, as it's miserable recovering from anything during our summers! *LOL* But based on your DS's age and assuming you live in a "normal" climate, taking care of his leg now is your best option, IMHO.