ACL Repair Surgery
- Waiting Time 1 - 2 Weeks
- Typical Stay Day Case / 1 night
- Procedure Time 30 minutes
- Anaesthetic General
- Health Insurance No
- Self-Pay Yes
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery is a keyhole procedure which involves assessing the whole of the knee joint, including the cartilage, meniscus and the other important ligaments around the knee. During your consultation with the clinical team, a discussion will have been had as to whether you will be suitable for an ACL reconstruction or ACL repair. The final decision is taken at the time of surgery.
A repair involves putting your own ACL back to where it has ruptured. This will be the case in only certain types of tear and are more common in a younger age group. With an ACL reconstruction, a graft is taken (usually your hamstring or quadricep tendon) and a new ACL graft is created. This is then positioned inside the knee where your previous ACL was using small implants that allow this to be held firmly in position.
How It Works?
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery is a keyhole procedure which involves assessing the whole of the knee joint, including the cartilage, meniscus and the other important ligaments around the knee. During your consultation with the clinical team, a discussion will have been had as to whether you will be suitable for an ACL reconstruction or ACL repair. The final decision is taken at the time of surgery. A repair involves putting your own ACL back to where it has ruptured. This will be the case in only certain types of tear and are more common in a younger age group. With an ACL reconstruction, a graft is taken (usually your hamstring or quadricep tendon) and a new ACL graft is created. This is then positioned inside the knee where your previous ACL was using small implants that allow this to be held firmly in position.
When you wake up from surgery, you will find that you have two layers of bandage on. One is a soft wool type bandage and the other is an elastic crepe bandage which helps to apply pressure for the first 24 hours. These two layers can be removed after 24 hours from the time of surgery, leaving behind the wound dressings.
Occasionally, repair of the meniscus may also be required, this may mean that you wake up with a brace on with a reduced range of movement. In order to allow this repair to heal, a dedicated regime on the range of movement allowed and degree of weight-bearing through the knee will be explained by our physiotherapy team.
Benefits
The purpose of the surgery is to restore stability to the knee joint. The ACL is responsible for providing stability to the knee in the back to front direction, but perhaps more importantly allows for stability in twisting activities. Sports such as skiing, rely heavily on the ability to be able to twist at the knee joint. Some patients will be able to manage without an ACL by using other muscles around the knee to help stabilise the joint.
The other purpose of the surgery is to prevent secondary damage to the knee joint. When there is increased movement within the knee, there is a risk of causing injury to the meniscus and cartilage when participating in sports where the knee is not stable enough to prevent further injury. There is also evidence to suggest an increased risk of arthritis in the long term for those without an ACL.
Recovery & Care
Recovering from ACL reconstruction surgery involves a structured process focused on proper care and rehabilitation. Managing pain, adhering to physical therapy, and gradually returning to activity are key to restoring knee function and preventing future injury.
- Immediate Post-Surgery Care: Manage pain and swelling with medication, icing, and elevation, while using a knee brace and crutches to protect the healing ligament and aid mobility.
- Early Physical Therapy: Begin physical therapy soon after surgery, focusing on restoring range of motion and gradually strengthening the muscles around the knee with targeted exercises.
- Progressive Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation progresses to include advanced exercises for improving strength, balance, and flexibility, which are essential for regaining full knee function and stability.
- Long-Term Care and Successful Recovery: Continue strengthening exercises to maintain knee health while being mindful of activities that could risk reinjury. Regular check-ups with your surgeon ensure proper healing and allow for necessary adjustments to your rehabilitation plan. Patient dedication to rehabilitation is key to achieving the best possible outcome, ensuring a safe recovery and a return to an active lifestyle.
Treatment Plans
Discover our all-inclusive package, designed to provide top-quality healthcare tailored to meet your needs.
- Pre-operative diagnostics including X-Ray
- Pre-operative assessment prior to admission
- Nursing care
- Catering during your day
- Operating theatre charges
- Drugs and dressings
- Post-operative surgeon consultation
- Post-Operative routine physio appointment
- Physio protocol guide
- 2 week nurse follow-up
- 6 week consultant follow-up
- Drugs and dressings
Essential Care Package
Testimonials
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FAQs
Explore our FAQs to find answers to common questions and gain a deeper understanding of our surgery.
It is important to get help. You may need assistance to get down the slope and seek medical advice. Once it is confirmed that there is no fracture, simple measures may be used to help with any pain or swelling. These include rest, ice, compression and elevation. An MRI scan may be then needed when you return home to see what the injury is.
Depending on the type of injury, a brace can be very helpful at helping to support the knee and reduce the pain. Initially, the brace can be set to keep the leg fully extended, this can then be adjusted to allow the knee to move once the exact injury has been identified. Our team will clinically assess the knee and make a judgement about whether the brace needs to be adjusted or removed.
By resting, icing and compressing the knee, the pain is usually well managed. A brace will also help to support the knee and reduce the pain. Try simple pain relief, such as paracetamol. If there is no contra-indication (anaphylaxis, allergy, intolerance, asthma renal problems etc) then an anti-inflammatory may be taken. Always consult a doctor if you are unsure.
If there is a sprain of the ACL, then the ACL can heal after rehabilitation. This type of injury does not normally result in instability. If the ACL is completely torn, then it is unlikely that it will be able to heal itself. There are other ligaments around the knee, such as the medial collateral ligament of posterior cruciate ligament which can potentially heal themselves, but the ACL normally does not.
Not all patients who rupture their ACL need ACL surgery. A proportion of patients may be able to use surrounding supporting muscles to help stabilise the knee and reduce the chances of it giving way. The main concern with repeated knee injuries is that a secondary injury, such as a meniscal tear may occur. There is some evidence to suggest that by stabilising the knee, the risk of arthritis developing in the future may also be reduced.
The vast majority of patients having surgery for a torn ACL would be undergoing an ACL reconstruction. This means that tissue from somewhere else in the body (hamstring, patella tendon, quads etc) is taken and used to replace the ACL in the knee joint. In ACL repair surgery, the patients own ACL is positioned back from where it has torn and no other tissue is used to stabilise the knee. ACL repair surgery is only indicated in specific ACL tear types. This type of surgery has been designed and developed by Prof. Wilson who has been at the forefront of ACL repair surgery globally. The team will be able to go through the possibility of offering this as an option. The main advantages being a quicker return to sport and reduced mobility in avoiding use of tissue from another part of the knee.
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Whether sport is done recreationally or more seriously, return to sport following ACL reconstructive surgery is typically between 10-12 months. This is because it takes this long for the knee to be strong enough to withstand significant amounts of stress through it without re-tearing the ACL. In ACL repair surgery, the return to sport is closer to 6 months.