{"id":1102,"date":"2020-02-14T11:12:36","date_gmt":"2020-02-14T05:42:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.medfin.in\/blog\/?p=1102"},"modified":"2024-07-22T14:39:03","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T09:09:03","slug":"acl-reconstruction-everything-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.medfin.in\/blog\/orthopaedic\/acl-reconstruction-everything-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"ACL Reconstruction: Is surgery the only choice?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Small ACL injuries may heal on their own, but most ACL injuries need ACL reconstruction.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is an ACL?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Whenever you see a human skeleton at school, hospital or museum, you often see that they are held together with wires. Have you ever wondered, how are these bones held together inside our body?<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer is ligaments.<\/span><\/p>\n

We have ligaments in our body that connect one bone to another bone. All bones in your body are held together by these\u00a0fibrous connective tissues.\u00a0Your knee joint has four of these ligaments. They are Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)<\/a>, Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) and Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"acl-anatomy-of-human-knee-286x300\"<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

ACL Injury<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Usually, a tear or strain to ACL is referred to as ACL Injury.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

ACL might get torn or strained when it comes under high pressure and involves sudden changes in directions or sudden stops. These kind of situations usually occur while playing sports. Hence it is common to see ACL injury among people who play soccer, basketball, football and downhill skiing.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is also a chance that ACL injury can happen when you come to a sudden stop while riding a bike and land on your leg in an improper way. Sometimes, ACL injury may occur during vehicular accidents.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the case of small ACL tears, the surgeons will let it heal naturally. In the case of major ACL injury, the only treatment option is ACL Reconstruction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Risks of ACL Reconstruction<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Any surgery that uses anesthesia will have risks from anesthesia that include allergic reactions to medicines and breathing problems.<\/span><\/p>\n

The risks that are involved due to surgery are bleeding and infection. Other risks are the ligament may fail to heal, the surgery might not provide relief to the symptoms, blood clot in the leg, pain in the knee, lost range of motion, stiffness and weakness of the knee.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you prepare for surgery?<\/strong> <\/span><\/h3>\n

There are some steps that you should follow before your ACL Reconstruction Surge<\/a><\/span>ry<\/a> procedure. Two weeks prior to surgery, they are:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    You should stop taking blood thinners. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    If you have any other medical condition, kindly inform your doctor and take appropriate steps.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Stop drinking alcohol and stop smoking.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    If you are a diabetic, you will have to consult a doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    On the day before your surgery,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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      You should not eat or drink anything 6 to 12 hours prior to the surgery.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Take the medications prescribed by your surgeon.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      ACL Reconstruction <\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

      ACL Reconstruction<\/a> is a surgical procedure where your surgeon repairs or reconstructs the torn ACL.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The Orthopedic Surgeon<\/a> makes two small incisions around the knee. He then inserts the camera into one of the incisions and small surgical instruments are inserted in the other incision. The damaged and ruptured ligaments are then removed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      The surgeon makes a graft either from another part of the knee or from a deceased donor. With the help of surgical instruments, the surgeon makes sockets into thigh and knee bone. This helps secure the graft. Once the procedure is complete, the surgeon closes the incision with sutures or stitches.<\/span><\/p>\n