Anterior cruciate ligament surgery is performed by an orthopedic surgeon to reconstruct a torn or ruptured ACL. The anterior cruciate ligament is responsible for providing stability, support, and proper range of motion to the knee. It is a common athletic and sports related injury, but can affect anyone who twists their knee at an awkward angle. Depending on the injury, and ACL can experience a partial tear or a full rupture.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery
Orthopedic surgeons reconstruct the ACL with a minimally invasive procedure known as arthroscopic surgery. During this procedure, a surgeon will make several small incisions around the knee joint. Multiple small incisions, as opposed to a single large one, allow for less bleeding and recovery time. Generally, arthroscopic surgery is considered to be safer and less prone to complications when compared to traditional open knee surgery.
During arthroscopic knee surgery, an arthroscope is equipped with a small light and camera at the tip and projects images of the inside of the joint to a video screen in the operating room, which allows the orthopedic surgeon a greater degree of precision and control. Additionally, this camera provides surgeons the opportunity to find further damage or injury to the joint and surrounding tissue that may have been missed by an x-ray or MRI.
Surgeons use a graft to reconstruct the torn or ruptured ACL. Grafting involves taking tissue from either another part of the patient’s own body, or using tissue from a donor. There are two types of grafts, auto and allografts. An autograft is when the graft tissue is sourced from the patient’s own body, while an allograft is taken from a donor (most frequently a cadaver).
After ACL surgery and physical therapy, most people are usually able to return to physical activity and sports.
Next, click here to read more about treatment for a Los Angeles knee injury.
