Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair or reconstruction surgery is essential for the patient to regain stability of the knee in their daily and sports activities. The orthopedic surgeons at COPAC can help you treat your ACL injuries by ensuring a speedy recovery.
It is a surgical intervention (usually arthroscopic) used to reconstruct with the help of grafts and special techniques, the ligament located in the center of the knee (anterior cruciate ligament). This fibrous and resistant ligament connects the tibia with the femur, its main function is to give stability to the knee joint.
Before you start surgery, you will receive general anesthesia to make you sleep and prevent you from feeling pain. In knee arthroscopy, the surgeon will initially make a small incision through which the arthroscopic device will be introduced, through which he or she will be able to observe the state of the ligaments and the rest of the tissues and structures of the knee.
Next, other incisions are made around the knee to introduce the arthroscopic instruments necessary to repair the damage. In anterior cruciate ligament replacement surgery, the surgeon performs the following actions:
Remove the remaining parts of the ACL tear.
You get an autograft by cutting a fragment of the patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon, hamstring tendon, or an allograft from a cadaver.
It creates tunnels that will serve as attachment points through which it will introduce graft tissue between the end of the tibial tunnel and the end of the femoral tunnel, to form the new ACL tendon.
This new tendon will be fixed with screws on both ends to hold it in place.
To finish anterior cruciate ligament surgery, the surgeon closes the small incisions with stitches and covers the joint area with a clean dressing.
ACL reconstruction surgery is recommended if:
The knee joint is unstable and loosens when walking or exercising any movement.
Knee pain is annoying, permanent, and affects your quality of life.
The ACL injury is making it difficult to perform daily activities.
It has been proven that there is a meniscus tear.
At your previous visits, talk to your doctor about your concerns about surgery. It is important that you tell him what medications you use daily, since the specialist will probably recommend stopping the taking of anticoagulant medications during the previous weeks; as well as the consumption of alcoholic beverages and tobacco.
As with any other type of surgery that involves the use of anesthesia, you should not eat or drink anything at least 8 to 12 hours before the procedure.
ACL reconstruction surgery is quite safe. However, complications can occur after surgery or during rehabilitation, including:
Numbness in the scar area.
Infection at the incision points.
Internal damage (vessels, nerves, etc.).
Blood clots in the leg.
Allergic reaction to anesthesia.
Problems with the newly implanted tendon (stretching, scar tissue, new injuries).
Limited performance.
Crepitation.
Pain when bending the knee, for example: when bending or kneeling.
The cost of ACL surgery varies depending on the clinical picture shown by each patient and the complexity of the reconstruction. We encourage you to schedule a consultation with one of our orthopedic surgeons to evaluate your case and provide you with a personalized quote.
After your surgery, you’ll spend a couple of hours in the recovery area while the anesthesia wears off. You will likely notice that your knee is swollen, numb, and painful; In addition, you may need to wear a splint for a few weeks.
At home, it is essential to keep the incisions clean while they heal, paying attention to any signs of infection. Depending on your condition, your doctor will tell you when to start physical rehabilitation that will allow you to progressively regain your level of joint function.
Every surgical procedure is painful; However, arthroscopic knee surgery is much less invasive than other operations as it does not require further dissection of the joint tissues. With this, it is possible to reduce pain and guarantee recovery in a shorter time.
After ACL surgery, the patient may experience joint stiffness, since we are talking about a “new” ligament that does not yet know how to function properly. The mobility of the knee is gained slowly and progressively, as the flexion and extension movements are executed; In this sense, physiotherapy plays an important role in achieving a successful recovery.
In anterior cruciate ligament surgery, the surgeon performs many different techniques and maneuvers to give the patient the best results, therefore, the procedure can take between 2 and 3 hours in total.
When the ACL suffers considerable damage, the affected person may feel constant joint instability, this situation increases the chances of a meniscus tear or major problems affecting the cartilage, tendons or the rest of the ligaments of the knee [Go to the COPAC orthopedics and traumatology service to avoid complications].
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