The doctor may advise ACL Tear Treatment through surgery if the damage is severe, or if the patient decides to get back to intensive sporting activities. Surgery is highly recommended for those who have multiple knee injuries as it minimizes the risk of osteoarthritis and other knee-related problems.
ACL tear cure through surgery, the knee ligament injury needs to be replaced by a substitute tendon which is a suitable graft. The grafts that are used to repair the ACL are the Patellar tendon autograft, Hamstring tendon autograft, Quadriceps tendon autograft, Allograft patellar tendon, Achilles tendon, semitendinosus muscle graft, gracilis muscle graft, or the posterior tibial tendon graft. Those patients who opt for reconstruction tend to have very low graft failure or recurrent instability.
The surgery aims to get the ligament functioning and prevents instability, allowing the patient to get back to normal and participate in his regular sport. Surgical treatment options Patients can choose to book the surgery packages online after finding out the surgical treatments that are available to cure ACL tear.
Patellar tendon autograft – This treatment is recommended for those who do not require kneeling down a lot. In this treatment, the middle third of the patellar tendon, a bone plug from the shin and the kneecap, is used in the autograft. However the patient may complain of pain behind the kneecap, and pain when he tries to kneel after the operation. The surgery may also increase the risk of stiffness.
Hamstring tendon autograft – This treatment uses the hamstring tendon that is located on the inner side of the knee to create the autograft. Gracilis, which is attached below the knee in the same area, is also used in many cases. It creates a two or four-strand tendon graft. Harvesting the graft in this method is comparatively easier. The method leads to less pain in the anterior part of the knee and reduces stiffness problems. The method uses a very small incision and offers faster recovery. The function, however, is limited by the type of fixation in the bone tunnel and the strength. There are also complaints that the patients develop hamstring graft laxity after the operation.
Quadriceps tendon autograft – This procedure is recommended to those who have a failed ACL reconstruction. The upper end of the knee cap and the middle third of the quadriceps tendon are used for the graft. This offers a larger graft for those who are heavy and tall. The graft is not very strong because there is a bone plug on one side. Patients tend to complain of anterior knee pain after the surgery. The incision also does not look very appealing.
Allografts – This method is used when ACL reconstruction fails to repair multiple knee ligaments. These grafts are taken from cadavers and the method is popular. The graft tissue leads to eliminating pain caused by the graft, smaller incisions, and less surgery time. They may, however, lead to infections. Patients who are involved in strenuous sports or heavy manual work should consider doing the surgery. For young children, ACL surgery can be postponed till their skeletal muscles mature. Those who have torn ACL and are functionally unstable tend to develop secondary knee damage later, and the risk can be minimized by undergoing ACL surgery. In cases of combined damage, ACL reconstruction surgery offers better results.