These strips are plaited together to create a section of tendon called an autograft. Through a small incision below the knee, portions of the semitendinous and gracilis tendons of the hamstring are separated from the muscle, but left connected to the tibia. At the orthopaedic Gelenk Klinik these factors are discussed in a pre surgical appointment with a highly specialised orthopaedic surgeon.įollowing the operation, special rehabilitation measures are put in place to optimise the long term success of the procedure.ĪCL Reconstruction Surgery (Hamstring tendon graft) The optimal technique for the patient depends on individual factors. The graft is inserted into the knee joint in exactly the same position as the original ACL, using an arthroscopic technique that leaves only tiny scars and causes minimal post-operative pain. The graft can be made from two of the patients’ own semitendinosus (hamstring) tendons (from the leg) or a strip of patella tendon (from the knee). Various comparative studies have shown that the best results are achieved for frontal cruciate knee ligament replacement surgery by using an autologous transplant (replacing the torn or missing ligament by a graft from natural material from the body). Consequences of Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) instabilityĪCL Reconstruction Strategies - the autograftĪs treatment methods to preserve damaged ligaments do not usually achieve satisfactory results (torn ACL cannot be simply stitched together), the best chance of avoiding arthrosis, is a frontal cruciate knee ligament replacement operation. Clinical and experimental examinations have proven that a damaged frontal cruciate knee ligament will not heal by itself. A rupture of the ligaments causes instability which, if not treated, leads to considerable attritional damage to the cartilage in the knee joint (arthrosis). They connect the front top of the tibia (lower leg bone), to the rear bottom of the femur (thigh bone). The anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) at the front and back of the knee, are the central pillars of the joint and as such, the essential stabilisers. Knee specialist approach to the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ©Viewmedica Recommended flight home: 14 days after surgery.
Earliest flight home: 10 days after surgery.Key Facts Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction