Anne's disease process

On October 7th, 2002 I received the following email (this has been approved by the author for publication on this page):

Hello, my name is Anne and I also have lunate malacia. I think the idea of a separate page for exchanging experiences is very good.

For other sufferers, now my story, the outcome of which is still open, but I am currently optimistic that I can get around the stiffening.

I was also given a wrong diagnosis once, after I changed doctor and presented myself to a hand surgery outpatient department of a district hospital, an MRI was arranged and the diagnosis came: lunate malacia, the lunar bone did not absorb any contrast medium, so no vitality . This devastating diagnosis was made in mid-June, a week before the planned summer vacation. The senior doctor advised me with the encouraging words: "First go on vacation and enjoy what comes after that is terrible" to go on vacation. My family couldn't really enjoy it either.

After the vacation CTs were done to better assess the substance of the other carpal bones. According to this result, allegedly not even a partial stiffening would have come into question, only the full stiffening. Since the doctors at this hospital themselves admitted that such cases are not commonplace for them, I started looking for a specialist clinic. I remembered the advertising of the health insurance companies: "We help, etc." No result, a complete waste of time.

On the recommendation of my family doctor, I presented myself to the professional association accident clinic "Ffm". Dr Winkel, head physician in the department for hand surgery, saw me as an opportunity to attempt a revitalization. Here, the dead parts of the moonbone are removed and replaced by cancellous bone from the iliac crest. In addition, a blood-supplied cartilage is transferred from the wrist to the lunar bone and supplied with new blood vessels (neovascularization). The prerequisite for this operation is that the lunar shell and skin are still intact. Unfortunately, this can only be seen during the operation.

I was lucky enough to be able to do it with me. I had an operation in mid-August, the operation was performed under general anesthesia. Duration approx. 4.5 hours. The pain was surprisingly minor. For six weeks I had to wear a synthetic resin splint to immobilize it, starting today I slowly start to mobilize my hand again with occupational therapy.

I won't find out whether the operation was successful until mid-November, when an MRI with contrast agent will be done - the moment of truth. This also in a double sense, since the disease probability is 50% also for the left hand, this is also examined.

I will keep you up-to-date.

I can highly recommend BGU Ffm:

BGU Ffm, Hand and Plastic Surgery Head Physician Dr. R. Winkel Friedberger Landstrasse 430

60389 Ffm

Tel. 069 475 2021 (Fr. Beck)

regards

Anne