Knee injuries commonly occur for those involved in sports but can also happen if your leg or knee becomes twisted.

If your knee continually gives way after an accident or injury, it could be a sign that your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has ruptured – meaning a significant tear to the ligament that joins your thigh bone and knee joint. ACL reconstruction offers the chance of improving the stability of your knee in everyday life and sporting activities.

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What is the anterior cruciate ligament?

The ACL is one of the important ligaments that stabilise your knee. If you have torn (ruptured) this ligament, the knee can collapse or give way when making twisting or turning movements. You may also find that you are unable to fully extend your leg, impacting your mobility.

Are there any alternatives to ACL reconstruction surgery?

Not all cases of a torn ligament will result in surgery. Physiotherapy can help you with exercises to strengthen and improve the co-ordination of the muscles in your thigh, whilst some people find wearing a knee brace can sometimes help while you are playing sports. However, we would recommend that you always seek advice from your consultant before returning to sports.

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What does the operation involve?

Your surgeon will make one or more incisions around your knee. They will usually perform the operation by an arthroscopy (keyhole surgery), using a camera to see inside your knee. The operation usually takes an hour to 90 minutes. Various anaesthetic techniques are possible, which you can discuss with the anaesthetist beforehand.

Your surgeon will replace the ACL with a piece of suitable tissue from another area of your body. The ends of the replacement ligament are fixed with special screws or anchors into holes drilled in the bone.

Two sources of replacement material for ACL reconstruction are commonly used:

• Autografts (employing bone or tissue harvested from the patient's body)
• Allografts (using bone or tissue from another body, either a cadaver or a live donor).

"I thoroughly recommend the Horder Centre. I had a day case ACL reconstruction, the staff are delightful the hospital very clean and super efficient. I felt like I was given the utmost care and had great confidence in every staff member who dealt with my case."
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Rehabilitation

The recovery process for the ACL is usually broken down into different phases of rehabilitation. Each phase has its own objectives, however, is intertwined with other phases since the goals are as progressive as the recovery itself. The rehabilitation process is at the pace of the patient and timelines are sometimes given to help give an idea of where one can be during rehabilitation. Timelines are not used to discourage or encourage those who aren’t ready to advance their recovery process. Such acts may cause serious injury or re-injury of the ACL.

Finance options available

To make private healthcare more accessible, we have introduced a finance option to spread the cost of your treatment over a period of time.

Self-paying patients at Horder Healthcare are now able to take out loans that cover all fees, including the consultant, anaesthetist and hospital fees. The loan products include interest-free options, with repayment periods of 6, 10 or 12 months, and interest-bearing loans repayable over 24, 36, 48 and 60 months, currently with an APR of 12.9%. Subject to approval.

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Our friendly customer services team are always happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our treatments or services.

Acknowledgements
Mr Stephen Milner (DM FRCS (Tr. & Orth.))
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The operation and treatment information on this webpage is produced using information from EIDO Systems International and is licensed by Horder Healthcare. The information should not replace the advice that your relevant health professional would give you.