Cartiva - Has anyone had it?

Man your post about being back in gym after a week makes me feel much better about getting this mess done

Down time from gym is like the main reason I was looking to do both feet at the same time 

Hopefully you are using ice for swelling Not a lot -10 mins on 10 off at the end of your day. for 30 minutes. Bag of pees! I do recommend ibuprophin 300 - 500mg. and moving it back and forth all the time with your fingers while you're sitting around. keeps the scar tissue from forming. Stretch the pigtgy. =) Most importantly - call your doctor. He got paid already and your still in pain !

How fast your body heals has a lot to do with diet. For example, what is your omega 6 to omega 3 ratio? Too much omega 6 in the body leads to an over reaction of inflammation in the body after surgery. Unfortuantely the western diet has given many people have about a 15 or 20 to 1 ratio of omega 6:3, whereas the ideal ratio is about 2:1. Eat Salmon to increase your EPA omega 3. You should also take protein shakes, and a vitamin supplement everyday to give your body the building blocks it needs to help it repair itself. Hope that helps. 

Hi Katie,

I'm sorry to hear that you're still in pain - what did your doctor say?

I had mine April 18 and it took a while for the pain to subside in my toe, but it has all but gone now, and I don't think it was as painful as yours. While I'm still just starting to walk again (read my other posts, I had more than just the Cartiva done, so my recovery is different from most on here).

My toe is still swollen (but it was before the surgery due to my previous surgery), but I'm doing PT and bending it up without pain. For some reason mine doesn't bend down even 1degree.

I would call my doc if I was still in a lot of pain. he/she needs to answer for this.....pain is the main reason for doing this and if it doesn't do that......they need to explain why.

I hope you get some relief soon! Please keep us posted.

are you FULLY walking on your toe/mtp joint?  I"m trying to make sure i walk "normally" without rolling my foot out....rolling it out while i walk was what i was doing before the surgery to compensate for the pain. It's not good for your foot, so i've been trying to relearn walking correctly and bending that joint all the way when i walk, which of course causes more pain.  that joint is very rigid and the PT even said she can't get it to move, not sure why.  

Hi Katie,

I had a tmt fusion, a bone graft on the MTP head and the cartiva so, my recovery is different than just a cartiva. So I'm just starting to heel walk. I'm at week 11 tomorrow. How far along are you? Is the stiffness decreasing? Are you getting any more ROM?

Thanks and best wishes.

Who was your physican?

FYI for all.....There is a video of the entire surgery on the cartiva website.

This looks just like mine did at that point!  i'm planning to take all my pictures and make it into a quick video....would look like some pretty quick healing!  did you take that other picture DURING your surgery?  who took it? 

I asked my surgeon to take it. I will post a 4 week shot below. When I stretch for a while in the gym I can walk pretty quickly without a limp today. Still a little swollen, and can't put on a real shoe. I bought Nike Free Runs, and have been wearing them since July 1st. I take a ibuprofen 500 every night when I'm home, and during the day if I feel swelling. I'm constantly stretching it to keep it moving both ways. Dr. Elmi said there is no way to damage the implant itself at this point. Rolling on to the side of it - the ball is still tender, and needs another week. Scar is almost healed, except for one stubborn spot that continued to drain until a couple days ago. Dr. Elmi suggested it might have been my body rejecting the sutures underneath. I must admit that I have been pretty hard on it, especially during the 4th of July weekend when I walked at least a mile. I'm a bad patient. Follow up appointment is Friday.

Just wondering why North Carolina ?

I just called Cartiva and they sent me a list of local doctors in my area proforming the procedure

I saw a news item on the NC doctor, and he seemed experienced and knowledgeable. Doctors who have done this surgery in my area are sparse, so I opted for the proven track record.

Hi! Question for you.... what type of boot were you in? I am having my surgery next week, and like you, my doc said I need to be up and walking and moving the joint immediately following surgery, (only wearing a protective boot) which differs from many of the posts in this thread. 

Katy I was in a heel bearing shoe made by Darco. You can google it online. I was told to get up and move not lay on the couch for 2 weeks.  I chose to lay on the couch and elevate a lot to keep the swelling down. But the bandage I left the hospital in was very very tight a compression bandage so not much swelling occurred for the first 2 weeks.

Hi Eric,

I did the same thing.  Saw a story on NBC and flew to NC to see the doc.  I really liked him.  I flew home the day after surgery as well.  I am three weeks out from the surgery, but he told me no PT until week 4.  I'm driving in the boot (though everyone on here seems to say that's not good).  Just curious how you are doing now?  

Suzanne

Since you had already had previous cheilectomy did they just clean up joint, and do cartiva? Had you developed new spurs from cheillectomy? Were you bone on bone? Did you have any ROM. Asking as I have had previous chilectomy in 2015, I am having cartiva in October. Surgeon going to clean out joint, and spur that is beginning to reform. He doesn't think I will get a huge gain in ROM, he said possibly some upward but feels like it will get me out of pain. As far as recovery hope mine goes as well as yours! 

I am a 60 year-old male who enjoys running, including long distances.  However, increasing pain in my right big toe due to osteoarthritis is making running increasingly problematic.  I met with a surgeon recently is experienced with Cartiva and his exam validated that I am a viable candidate for Cartiva  implant.  My surgery is presently scheduled for early April 2018.  Your posting on this thread (which I just discovered) is the first that makes any reference to someone who had Cartiva implant surgery and was or is a runner.  If I follow the timeline right it seems like you had it done 7 months ago.  My question is, how are you now and more importantly how much physical activity, including running, have you been able to resume?