Cartiva - Has anyone had it?
Posted , 157 users are following.
I'm looking looking at looking at getting looking at getting this. Anyone with experience here?
4 likes, 836 replies
We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.
×
Notes on Cartiva - Has anyone had it?
sara25487 krista4435
Posted
Does anyone know if there are any surgeons doing this toe implant in the south? i live in Alabama. i think there is a surgeon in Memphis.
My toe pain is terrible and affecting my life. i don't feel comfortable about a fusion.
ron43261 sara25487
Posted
You can send an email directly to Cartiva asking for a listing of surgeons in your area who have been trained in the procedure. You should get a response within a day or two.
lisa57826 krista4435
Posted
Hi,
I had the CARTIVA implant surgery on 1/3/19. I am almost 2 weeks post op and could not be happier. My foot feels great. I had almost no pain postoperatively. My range of motion is great already. I would highly recomend this option. Especially if you are a runner.
john86216 krista4435
Posted
NOT a good experience.Had it, insurance did not pay well for it. Surgical site never really healed. almost a year later had it removed and my foot fused. Miserable experience. There is something wrong here. So far i have no real explanation. all that i can say is BE VERY CAREFUL.
ron43261 krista4435
Posted
One year post op and just had 2 doctors confirm the implant receded into the metatarsal. The joint is bone on bone again. Not necessarily the fault of the implant or the surgeon, but the bone was not dense enough to hold the implant solidly in position. I am now looking at fusion or total joint replacement.
Gerry1234 krista4435
Posted
ONE YEAR OUT. CANCELLED 1 year follow up appointment. PAIN IS LIVEABLE. not doing fusion!
patricia32684 Gerry1234
Posted
I am one year out & it's been a long road...it was 9 months before I could say that I am starting to feel improvement with my foot.
sara25487 krista4435
Posted
I had the surgery with the cartiva implant last Tuesday and get stitches out in 8 more days. Post op pain is minimal and my doctor told me to wiggle my toes from day one. I am a yoga teacher so range of motion in this toe is important to me. I met someone who had this surgery and says its the best thing she ever did!
sara25487 krista4435
Posted
My cartiva surgery was 3 weeks ago by Dr Shell in Mobile Alabama and he has done many. I'm doing well and doing gentle yoga, wearing soft tennis shoes, and up most of the day. I have no swelling. My big toe is bending but not full range and not without pain. I would say my foot hurts less to walk now than it did before surgery! My surgeon told me hes had 2 failures when the implant doesnt stay in place. There are lots of dissatisfied people on this site, so it doesn't work for everyone! I believe it has worked very well in my case.
palmetto24648 sara25487
Posted
AWESOME! Congrats to you! I'm very happy to have had good results on both feet. Hope that you continue to improve and have great results!
linda41876 sara25487
Posted
What stage was your hallux rigidus? Did you have any bone spurs? I have stage 4 and am waiting for the right time for surgery.
ron43261 krista4435
Posted
I am 14 months post Cartiva surgery and mine failed around 8 months in due to recession. If you are considering Cartiva surgery suggest that you read this first:
https://www.footankleinstitute.com/blog/when-the-cartiva-big-toe-joint-implant-fails/
LukeR ron43261
Posted
just curious how did you know it failed? PAIN? I am three months out from my cartiva implant and I’m sitting today getting an MRI because I’m having more pain on the bottom near the sesamoid bones than that is expected. I hope Mine has not regressed but I guess it can happen at any time is what you are saying??. Did you go for Arthrosurface? ot decide on a fusion? did you see dr BAVARIAN?it is pretty amazing that he does not recommend it at all anymore and 50% of them are failed
ron43261 LukeR
Posted
Hi Luke,
Yes, it seems that recession can happen anytime. My 3 month post op x ray showed good implant position. Pain was very slow to lessen but was definitely on a downward trend. It took 6 months for the swelling to go away completely. I had sesamoid pain up to about 6 months but it eventually went away as well. My PT predicted it would. At 8 months I was walking 2 miles per day and suddenly had a very clear realization that the pain trend had reversed and was increasing. I suspected that the implant had receded but waited until my 1 year follow up on Jan 29, 2019 to have that confirmed by x ray. The pain now is in the joint itself, it does not want to bear weight. In the 1st mpj I have zero degrees of flexion and 12-15 degrees of extension. Having more movement in the joint now than before the surgery (it was rigid before), along with bone on bone seems to be causing more pain than before the surgery. My surgeon wanted to go ahead and fuse the joint. Well, I had chosen Cartiva because I am active and did not want fusion, and still don't. I went for a second opinion and this surgeon said that early on he had done (4) Cartiva implants but based on unacceptably high failure rates he also joined the ranks of those who do not do them any longer. He felt that for me, based on my level of health and activity that fusion should be the very last resort. He is strongly suggested joint replacement for me. He uses two types of implants. One is a medical grade silicone implant called a "Sgarlato Gait Implant". The other is called an "Arthrosurface Toe Motion" implant, which is titanium like a knee or hip replacement. You can find abundant info on the web about these. He says about 75% of the implants he installs are Sgarlato and 25% are the Arthrosurface. I have a second consult with him on April 8. I am strongly leaning toward joint replacement but have many more questions for him before I decide which one. I hope to have those answered on the 8th. Hope this helps. I'm glad to help if you have any other questions. All the best to you in your recovery.
LukeR ron43261
Posted
THANK you for your very kind and thorough review!I don’t think anyone really wants a fusion. I am trying to avoid that as well. they say every implant wears off eventually so I guess we will all have a fusion in the end right?
my sesamoids started hurting right after the surgery. THE Doc explained to me that he did a release on my sesamoids and it may take months for them to settle down. I checked with the radiologist on my MRI pre-surgery and I had a little bit of arthritis in my sesamoids but nothing that should cause this much pain. I think it is the release that they do with the surgery that causes so much pain and it may take 3 to 6 months or( even longer) to settle down ...... It’s good to know that pain may go away at the six-month mark so I only have three more months to suffer. I tried the dancers pads but he told me to take those off to sensitize the sesamoids. I have been doing physical therapy 3 to 4 times a week and I think I may have been overdoing it!my toe will not lay flat it is actually slightly elevated off the ground but with great effort I can get the toe flat. i get my mri results tommorow praying that i dont have cartiva subsidencelet me know how you fareyour personal story seems to echo mine the most best of wishes!!!
patricia32684 LukeR
Posted
Hello Luke, I had my surgery one year ago..& it took 9 months to finally get to the point where I can say that I had little to no pain when walking... I have to disagree with your Dr. about the dancer pads..I am a hairstylist & I found them to be key in helping with making it through the recovery process...there was so much sensitivity that the pads helped to lesson my discomfort..I no longer need to use them now... I have been able to walk for exercise finally... something I have not done in a couple of years !!
Gerry1234 ron43261
Posted
My name is Gerry. I Had the cartiva on 3/15/18 and had pain until december and then it slowly decreased. Most doctors say it takes a year to get to yourself and they are right! I HAD MINE DONE AT THE CLEVELAND CLINIC AND STATISTICS STATE THAT YOU WILL HEAL QUICKER WITH A FUSION THAN THE IMPLANT BUT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TO BEND THE TOE.
LukeR patricia32684
Posted
thanks Patricia for your reply.
I still have the sesamoid pain and I am five months outMy toe joint does not hurt anymore at all but the sesamoid definitely hurt especially after a long day. When I where the dancers pad unfortunately the lateral or outside part of my foot started to hurt so I wear it for about five hours and then I take it off but then the sesamoid start to hurt. How long did it take for the sesamoid pain to go away? I wonder if this is because the sesamoids are just not tracking right after the surgery and it takes a while for them to get back on track. I see my doctor next week and may get a steroid injection in the sesamoids
PXM ron43261
Posted
Thank you for the article. I had the Cartiva surgery 18 months ago and I had an MRI recently. Although the MRI did not show that the implant failed, I am still very much in pain. I am very surprised that a class-action lawsuit against Cartiva has not started.
julie037 PXM
Posted
mines been long enough that i should have success.The doctor keeps saying lets give it time but,i know it hasnt taken and i am in more pain now than ever!Cant wait for the lawsuits to begin!ITS BEEN 4months almost 5