Whats involved in knee ligament or anterior cruciate ligament surgery?
Cruciate ligament reconstruction involves replacing the torn anterior cruciate ligament of the knee with a graft. The graft is usually a section of tendon taken from another part of your knee, but sometimes it is taken from a donor or made from synthetic material. The operation is normally performed using arthroscopy (“keyhole” surgery). The ACL surgery involves making a small incision in the skin over the knee that is being treated. The torn ligament is trimmed and the knee is prepared for the replacement graft. The graft is shaped, attached to the bones and fixed in place. Cruciate ligament reconstruction typically lasts one to two hours and usually requires an overnight stay in hospital.
