Should Max have the 'Malceski' surgery?

[Philhawk]

Geez, it really is a tough one. Obviously none of us are medical practitioners, but what would you think?

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23875360-19742,00.html

The wraps are enormous on Bailey, taken at pick 18 in the 2005 draft, and considered potentially the club's No. 1 ruckman when fit.

He will see surgeon Julian Feller in the coming days after damaging the knee in what was an innocuous incident.

Manager Shane Casley said yesterday Bailey would look at all surgical options, including the procedure used on Sydney's Nick Malceski.

"He couldn't get his knee 100 per cent right and had a little clean-up and he thought he was right to go, and it was such a simple act that it happened in," Casley said.

"It was a very minor occurrence, so he was pretty shattered. He did it going for a mark and felt the bone slip, and whether that ruptured the ligament, I don't know.

"He has worked so hard and he is the heart and soul of that club. They all love him."

Hawthorn last year extended Bailey's contract until the end of 2009.

Lets just hope the kid gets better. If anyone deserves to have a long and illustrious career at our club, it's Max Bailey and Beau Muston.

 

[Prosti_clarke who?]

wouldn't be a bad idea to try something different, but i wouldnt rush him back, Malceski style... Obviously not worth the risk in that sense... But, after 3 knees, anything is worth a short... itd be a massive disappointment, for a guy whos busted his arse, to have his career cut down before it started, simply through injury...

 

[Hawk-in-syd]

I read they are looking at it. When the natural one has failed in the past it could be worth a go. The kid is still young tho. Long time for a bit of polly to be in your knee.

 

[lyndhurst]

Cant really suggest therapy without knowing exactly whats going on, can we.

I dont know who did his knee previously. Julian Feller is a gun, good bloke and excellent surgeon. Max is in good hands. Hope it all works out well this time.

Sometimes, doesnt matter how good the surgeon is, how well the rehab is planned and how hard the punter tries, the outcome can still be dreadful. Hopefully the gods will shine on him this time

 

[That's deliberate]

I was at Box Hill last week and got there early to watch him play.

I along with the 2 Box Hill Officials standing next to me were devastated watching him go down.

Terry Daniher standing infront of us turned around and said i think i'm going to be ill. Terry's son plays for the BH Magoos.

What was amazing to see is when Big Max went into the room and had his knee looked at they strapped his right knee up he came out with cruches in hand sat with Campbell, Rioli, Stokes and afew other who made the trip back early to come and watch him in the BH magoos and sat there for the second and thrid qtr chatting and sharing a laugh with them as if nothing had happened.

I think we were more devastated then Big Max.

They love him at the club and wont be going anywhere, time is on his side.

It did put a dampener on the day until one...

B Whitecross....entered ..

hmmmmm......hmm.

 

[Rocketman#1]

Not personally sure what direction needs to be taken, but I believe the club needs to tread carefully. If done right He'll be a great investment, but If he comes back next year and does it again sorry to say but I think his career will be over.

This is his last chance to get it right.

Look forward to seeing big Max in action 2009.

 

[carntheroos4eva]

Nope mainly because he needs to have that graft replaced.

 

[Flukey!]

I bet if the club thought alternative surgery was a better option, he would have had it.

 

[EatBig Australia]

The kid is still young tho. Long time for a bit of polly to be in your knee.

Malceski is only 23 and while only time will tell, let's all hope his knee holds up.
If Bailey did have the 'Eski' surgery, let's say he was back in the exact same time frame as Malceski. That would mean a return in three months. If the Hawks medico's deemed Malceski's operation as more high risk than the normal procedure I wouldn't think they would do it considering he probably won't play again this year anyway.

 

[thatswhatimtalkinabout]

Musto is young enough that he can afford the year off to get the traditional method. I also seem to remember hearing that the Malceski technique wouldn't have been a good option for Musto since it would be his second (third if you count the little repair he had) reconstruction.

For those interested here http://www.jbjs.org.uk/cgi/reprint/84-B/3/356.pdf is a journal article where independent surgeons did 53 ACL repairs split between the old way and LARS (what Malceski had) and basically found that after two years the results were the same, but that LARS got you back up and going quicker. There is still a question mark over long-term viability as previous synthetics have caused trouble in the longer term, but this is what LARS was supposed to address.

.... the main complication worry from orthopedic surgeons about this technique is the infection/rejection factor, which would be career threatening/ending if they were to occur. If u remember back to artificial ligaments in the 80s, players like Doug Hawkins and Steve MacPherson had problems, as serious as such tha ti believe Super did not ever play another game.

The risk of peri-graft infection and septic arthritis is thought to be greater when using an artificial ligament. This is also though to be systemically mediated somewhat in some individuals whose body's are sensitive to artificial implants. The crux of the problem is if one of these inert ligaments becomes in fected, then it has to be removed, and a repeat reconstruction cannot be performed until the infection is sorted. This can be weeks, months or years in some cases. Hence no AFL player can theoretically play (long term) with an ACL deficit knee. The risk of such infections increase in a step wise fashion depending on the number of past surgeries the player has had to the affected knee. Therefore in Mustos case this is a few. Some players obviously have several clean up arthroscopies as a maintenance thing, and if they are unlucky enough to rupture their ACL later down the line then this too increases their infection risk if they went ahead and had such a procedure. Granted there is an infection risk using the tradional hamstrings or patella tendon graft techniques, but it is thought to be much lowere than that seen in articial graft reconstructions.

I believe this was the problem with Musto's initial reconstruction?

Just some food for thought I have borrowed from a thread regarding when punters asked the same question about Musto.

Interesting reading, but it left me of the opinion that safe and steady with these two investments is the way to go - particularly with the way Musto has recovered so far.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

wouldn't be a bad idea to try something different, but i wouldnt rush him back, Malceski style... Obviously not worth the risk in that sense... But, after 3 knees, anything is worth a short... itd be a massive disappointment, for a guy whos busted his arse, to have his career cut down before it started, simply through injury...

3 knees, do you mean ACL's?? his first injury was a snapped achillies, 2nd was PCL (which really is turning into a rare occurance)

 

[kirbatron]

Really disappointing, i just want to see Big Max play...

is that too much to ask goddamit

 

[Prosti_clarke who?]

3 knees, do you mean ACL's?? his first injury was a snapped achillies, 2nd was PCL (which really is turning into a rare occurance)

correction... ur spot on... to many injuries confuse the crap outta me... i know as much, as that hes been stiff as so far...

 

[Tootie]

Hey That's Deliberate, are you related to young Mr Whitecross?

 

[Boyler_Room]

Hey That's Deliberate, are you related to young Mr Whitecross?

I think he want's relations with him?

 

[That's deliberate]

Hey That's Deliberate, are you related to young Mr Whitecross?

Nope, only seen him play 4 times and i was convinced after the first time he is a star.

Similar to Rioli, Buddy, Hodge....you don't need to see them play 100 games before you are convinced they are seriously good footballers.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Hate to rain on our parade, but has any footballER had the same series of injuries and ended up any good?

These boards seem to prophesise that Dowler, Musto and Bails will all turn into A grade footballers, but surely the reality is that if one of them recovers well enough to win a premiership medal, then given the gamble the club has taken and the subsequent prolonged injuries they've all had, then we will be lucky.

Seems we're wishing a bit folks ????

 

[thatswhatimtalkinabout]

Hate to rain on our parade, but has any footballER had the same series of injuries and ended up any good?

These boards seem to prophesise that Dowler, Musto and Bails will all turn into A grade footballers, but surely the reality is that if one of them recovers well enough to win a premiership medal, then given the gamble the club has taken and the subsequent prolonged injuries they've all had, then we will be lucky.

Seems we're wishing a bit folks ????

Ummm....people used to die from mumps, tetanus and malaria......

Medicine is going forward, and sports medicine moreso.

 

[HFC082]

Give Max the Ski surgery...get him back for september.

If he does it again, go legit and he's only been set back 10 weeks no probs

 

[HawksILove]

Give Max the Ski surgery...get him back for september.

If he does it again, go legit and he's only been set back 10 weeks no probs

I fully agree

 

[carntheroos4eva]

I say no to this mainly because he has got dodgey knees. It wouldn't be the best thing to do and then have him do his knee again and having to call it quits due to injury.

 

[lyndhurst]

Give Max the Ski surgery...get him back for september.

If he does it again, go legit and he's only been set back 10 weeks no probs

Aaaahhhhh,, no
Not like servicing a car. You cant just go back half a dozen times and replace the busted bit.

He is 21 and needs the knee as good as possible, with best long term option so that he doesnt spend the next 50 years hobbling like an old man.

With respect guys, I am sure the advice that he gets from Julian Feller will be better than the advice he gets from an internet forum.

 

[HFC082]

I fully agree

There it is. Signed sealed.

Do it quickly Maximus

 

[Badga]

Hate to rain on our parade, but has any footballER had the same series of injuries and ended up any good?

Hudson seems to be playing pretty well atm and he has had 2 knee recos.. lets hope big Maxy can make a come back like him