Everything You Need to Know About ACL Surgery

What is A.C.L.?

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a surgical replacement by tissue grafting of the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee to restore function after injury. The torn ligament is removed from the knee before the graft is inserted in an arthroscopic procedure. A.C.L. injuries are common among people who play sports. Get ACL Ligament Surgery In Rajasthan from the best doctors.

The A.C.L. (anterior cruciate ligament) is a band of tissue on the inside of the knee. It gets damaged when it stretches or tears. This can happen if you turn sharply or flick while running or jumping.

What Happens During ACL RECONSTRUCTION?

Your doctor will remove the torn ligament from your knee and replace it with new tissue. The goal is to stabilize your knee again and give it the full range of motion it had before you injured yourself.

Doctors typically use arthroscopic during ACL Ligament Surgery. They insert tiny tools and a camera through minor cuts around your knee. This method has fewer scars on the skin than open knee surgery.

During arthroscopic A.C.L. reconstruction, the surgeon makes several small incisions around the knee, usually two or three. Sterile saline solution (salt) is pumped into the knee through an incision to widen it and wash the blood from the area. This allows the doctor to see the structures of the knee more clearly.

A.C.L. Tear Injury

The surgeon inserts an arthroscope through one of the other incisions. At the end of the arthroscope, a camera transmits images from inside the knee to a television screen in the operating room.

Surgical drills are inserted through other small incisions. The surgeon drills small holes in the upper and lower leg bones where these bones come together at the knee joint. The holes form tunnels through which the graft will be anchored.

If you use your tissue, the surgeon will make another incision in the knee and remove the graft (replacement tissue).

The graft is pulled through tunnels that have been drilled into the upper and lower leg bones. The surgeon secures the graft with hardware such as screws or staples and will close the incisions with stitches or tape. The knee is bandaged, and you are taken to the recovery room for 2 to 3 hours.

During A.C.L. surgery, the surgeon may also repair other injured parts of the knee, such as menisci, other knee ligaments, cartilage, or fractures.

After A.C.L. Surgery

Once you have recovered from the anesthesia, you will be allowed to go home later in the day. Before you go home, you will practice walking on crutches, and your surgeon may ask you to wear a knee brace or splint to help protect the graft.

Before you leave the hospital, you will receive instructions on when you can shower or bathe, when to change dressings on the wound, and how to manage post-operative care. To reduce swelling and pain in the days immediately following your surgery, follow the R.I.C.E. personal care model at home:

Rest: – General rest is necessary for recovery after ACL Ligament Surgery. Follow your surgeon’s advice on how long to use crutches and limit pressure on your knee.

Ice: – When you are awake, try to ice your knee at least every two hours for 20 minutes.

Compression: – Wrap an elastic bandage or compression band around your knee.

Elevation: – Lie down with your knee propped up on pillows.

Here are five ways this revolutionary device using intermittent compression and cold therapy can help you recover from your ACL Surgery.

Pain reduction

Cold therapy is a long-standing method for reducing pain after surgery. It provides an analgesic (pain-relieving) effect by numbing pain mediators and receptors.3

Traditional cold therapy using ice packs or ice baths can be messy and uncomfortable. A system that continuously circulates cold water through a fitted wrap designed only for the knee joint is more convenient and comfortable. This can make it easier to stick to a cold therapy regimen, helping to reduce pain and improve recovery time.

The swelling (edema)

Your doctor has probably told you about post-operative edema and swelling side effects of surgery. When the body undergoes surgery, blood and other bodily fluids rush in as the body tries to heal itself.4 The swelling is painful and can make it harder to move around. It is therefore essential to reduce swelling to promote mobility and reduce pain. Follow your doctor’s directions and take care of your knee using a cryotherapy and compression system. You can help reduce pain and swelling and reduce your recovery time.

Increased Lymphatic Drainage

The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in healing and recovery. Restoring normal lymph flow is very important for the overall healing process to move from an acute phase to a repair phase.5 This is why optimizing lymph flow away from your knee after surgery can help you speed up your recovery. Using a knee brace that provides I.P.C. in combination with cold therapy can help you return to normal activities more quickly.6

Stimulated tissue healing

Studies show that I.P.C. has a therapeutic effect that improves connective tissue healing.6 Why? With intermittent compression, your leg gets better lymphatic drainage away from the knee and therefore allows the tissues to start repairing themselves more quickly.

A decline in drug use

Typically, you will be prescribed a pain reliever such as Vicodin to deal with post-operative pain. Taking painkillers can make you sleepy and disconnected, which means you can’t get back to your routine. Painkillers are also very addictive. The United States is experiencing an epidemic of opioid abuse, and in 2017 painkillers killed more than 17,000 people. Some surgeons have found that when their patients use a system that combines cryotherapy and intermittent compression, they can discontinue all pain medications more quickly. Some patients can forgo painkillers altogether.

 

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