How Long Does ACL Surgery Take or Last?

Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is most common, especially among young athletes. High-impact sports and activities which require vigorous movements, such as twisting, rotating, cutting, jumping, sudden stops, etc., may cause an ACL tear. This requires a surgical repair (reconstruction) of the torn ligament to relieve symptoms like knee pain, instability, and loss of range of motion. ACL reconstruction surgery is a complex procedure that may take a few hours to be performed by a well-trained and experienced orthopedic surgeon.

Read on to learn more about ACL reconstruction surgery, the time taken to perform the surgery, and the factors that affect the procedure’s duration. 

What is ACL Reconstruction Surgery?

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four major muscle groups of the knee. It runs diagonally across the middle of the knee and connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shinbone). This prevents the tibia from slipping in front of the femur. It also provides stability to the knee when it rotates from side to side. 

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery is performed to repair the torn ligament. It aims to restore knee stability and strength after the ligament tear. The remains of the torn ligament are surgically removed and replaced with a graft (healthy tissue taken from one part of the body to replace the diseased tissue). When the graft is taken from the tissues of your own body, it is known as an “Autograft,” and if it is taken from a deceased donor (cadaver), it is known as an “Allograft.” 

How Long Does ACL and Meniscus Surgery Take?

ACL reconstruction surgery or meniscal surgery is a complex procedure that needs to be performed by a skilled orthopedic surgeon.

An ACL surgery can take anywhere between 1 to 3 hours. On average, it may take 1 hour to 1.5 hours. However, this depends on various factors which affect the surgery timing:

• Pre-surgical preparation
  • This may take around 30 to 45 minutes.
  • It requires preparing the patient for surgery (draping, shaving, disinfecting, etc.), and administering general anesthesia.
  • This pre-surgical time is generally not included in the surgery duration.
• Type of ACL reconstruction techniques
  • Two-incision technique
    • This ACL reconstruction technique takes around 2 hours.
  • Single-incision technique
    • This technique requires a duration of around 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  • Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction 
    • This is a minimally-invasive technique that involves making tiny holes around the surgical site. A camera is inserted through these holes to access the surgical site.
    • This generally takes around 2 hours since there is no direct access to the surgical site.

• Robotic ACL reconstruction technique
  • This is an advanced ACL reconstruction technique that involves the use of robotic systems.
  • This generally takes around 60 to 90 minutes to perform the reconstruction surgery because the robotic arm improves the procedure’s speed and accuracy.

• Extent of ACL damage
  • The extent of the ligament tear also determines the time taken to complete the reconstruction surgery.
  • More the damage to the ligament, the longer will be the time to repair it and complete the surgery.
• Presence of any debilitating disease
  • If you have any history of medical conditions such as diabetes (high blood sugar levels), hypertension (increased blood pressure levels), or any kidney and liver diseases, the surgeon will take extra precautions. This may take some extra time to keep the vitals (heart rate, blood pressure, pulse rate, oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate) in control.
• Complications during the surgery
  • During the surgery, if there is any untoward complication such as abnormal bleeding, fluctuation in the heart rate and oxygen levels, etc., extra time is taken to manage the complication.
• Post-operative observation
  • You will be kept under observation for around 60 to 90 minutes till you regain consciousness.
  • However, this is not included in the surgery duration.

Takeaway

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery is one of the most popular orthopedic procedures due to increased ligament tears among younger people and athletes. 

It is a complex procedure that involves pre-surgical preparation and extensive surgical intervention like incision, bone cutting, and drilling. This is finally completed with suturing of the incision. The surgery usually takes 2 to 3 hours per the adopted technique.

Consult our expert team of orthopedic surgeons at Medfin to know more about ACL reconstruction. We can guide you on any queries regarding orthopedic procedures such as ACL surgery.  

Disclaimer: 

The content on this site is the copyright of Medfin and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This should not be considered as a substitute for medical and surgical expertise. Results from any treatments or surgeries are subjective to an individual patient and the type of procedure/ surgery performed. Please seek professional help from Arthroscopic ACL Reconstruction Surgeons in Bangalore regarding any medical concerns. Medfin will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.