Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is important for maintaining stability of the knee joint, particularly in activities involving, pivoting, weaving, or kicking. The knee becomes unstable with a ruptured ACL and this may injure the underlying cartilage over time speeding up the arthritic process and causing severe damage to the joint.Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction is the surgical treatment of choice to restore stability at the knee joint.

What to expect during the surgery

Your surgeon will remove your damaged ligament and replace it with a segment of tendon. This replacement tissue is called a graft and it comes from another part of your knee or a tendon from a deceased donor.

Your surgeon will drill sockets or tunnels into your thighbone and shinbone to accurately position the graft, which is then secured to your bones with screws or other devices. The graft will serve as scaffolding on which new ligament tissue can grow.

Results

Successful ACL reconstruction paired with focused rehabilitation can usually restore stability and function to your knee. Within the first few weeks after surgery, you should strive to regain a range of motion equal to that of your opposite knee. Recovery generally takes about three to six months.

It may take six months before athletes can return to their sports.