Experimental ACL Surgery being performed in Canada

[ramsince62]

Hopefully he would go with the Allograft (cadaver tissue ) over the Autograft his own tissue. The Allograft has a much quicker healing process. I am not sure what he used previously but I bet it was the Autograft from the patella tendon. With the Cadaver (Allograft) you don't have the burden of having to heal the patella as well as the ACL like most procedures. This reduces healing time.

OK, but does it bring back nerve re-generation any sooner or return blood flow to the damages tissues more rapidly?

 

[ramsince62]

All good points but I'm not sure about the psychological point he as not taken the beating that Bulger did.

If the girl in this article can be doing Xgames and the Olympics in 6 months after her third surgery yes I would have him in surgery this week if there aren't extenuating circumstances and be ready to see him on the field next year.

The Rams have to lok to the future and have a plan to develop someone but Bradford will still be the best bet for the 2015 Rams if he can stay on the field.

I'm not calling you on this, but most seemed to agree that this was the year of "no more excuses" and that staying on the field was part of that criteria. Believe me, I wanted him to succeed as much as anyone. I think if he's given time to really heal and by that I mean returning in 2 years, I'm sure another team will give him the opportunity. I just don't see the risk reward any longer, especially with this team being ready to go now, I'm sorry.

 

[rdlkgliders]

OK, but does it bring back nerve re-generation any sooner or return blood flow to the damages tissues more rapidly?

I am no Dr 62, I was always told by my Doctors and surgeons that nerve damage and repair is a bit of a crapshoot there is no real way to determine 1.) how much damage will be done and 2.)
how long if ever you will reacquire full feeling. The second part of the question I don't fully understand without blood flow and Oxygen, tissue becomes necrotic and dies so hopefully there is minimal time without flow. Again I am much less knowledgeable about the second part and all my info comes from personal experience and asking my doctors and surgeons lots of questions.

 

[blackbart]

I'm not calling you on this, but most seemed to agree that this was the year of "no more excuses" and that staying on the field was part of that criteria. Believe me, I wanted him to succeed as much as anyone. I think if he's given time to really heal and by that I mean returning in 2 years, I'm sure another team will give him the opportunity. I just don't see the risk reward any longer, especially with this team being ready to go now, I'm sorry.

No worries brother I understand that position, we all really wanted him to have that great storybook year but God had other plans for Sam. I don't buy in to the make or break year and think there is no way he would have been gone if he had an average year. Fisher and Snead know how bad this team was and that they are still growing. I'm sure they did not hink if we don't make the playffs it will be all Sam's fault and he is out of here. This is a team sport with way too many factors to think the QB is ultimately responsible for the win loss record. Fans and sportswriters are the only ones who buy in to that baloney.

 

[ramsince62]

I am no Dr 62, I was always told by my Doctors and surgeons that nerve damage and repair is a bit of a crapshoot there is no real way to determine 1.) how much damage will be done and 2.)
how long if ever you will reacquire full feeling. The second part of the question I don't fully understand without blood flow and Oxygen, tissue becomes necrotic and dies so hopefully there is minimal time without flow. Again I am much less knowledgeable about the second part and all my info comes from personal experience and asking my doctors and surgeons lots of questions.

I'm no doctor either,but I have undergone (2) tendon rupture repair surgeries and you're correct about the unsure time periods involved with nerve re-generation. I can tell you that 90% of "feeling" returned to the area's in question. It's gradual, but it took me about 2 years (each time). The 2nd issue concerns me the most (blood flow) which obviously plays a key role in healing and the regeneration of connective tissues. Like the 1st, it's a matter of "deep healing' where time is required to stimulate sufficient blood flow at the site which both repairs and nourishes the surrounding tissues, etc. Time wise, who really knows, but indications seem to suggest that up to a year or more is required to establish deep healing and a return to a more natural state. I suspect (although again, I'm basing my impressions solely upon my experiences), the healing process is well beyond the initial "mechanical repair" and strength aspects which appears to the criteria used to determine when a player is ready to return i.e., physical range of motion, strength measurements, etc. What these tests don't and really can't measure is what's happening at a cellular level at and near the surgical site.

Observation suggests that regardless of the one offs, like A Peterson and a select few others, the majority require more than 4 or 5 months of rehab before returning to whatever "normal" is....especially for someone who is a sitting duck in the backfield. Not to beat a dead horse, but look at RAG-III, despite his youth and dedication anyone familiar with his play and physical movements would agree that he wasn't all the way back the first year following surgery and only this year, does he appear completely sound. I won't even bring up Sam's experience's to date.

So are there exceptions? Of course. But can this team continue to risk failure at this position when this team is ready to win now? And how long will it be before salary cap's begin to siphon off our more experienced players as we wait? Yesterday, I heard on ESPN that the upcoming class of 2015 will be loaded with QB's, it would seem that fate and circumstance is sending a message.

BTW, and FWIW, the articles I've read by physicians concerning a 2nd ACL repair suggest that 18 months for recovery is closer to the norm. Of course when it comes to physicians, like lawyers, you can get any opinion if you look long and hard enough.