ACL Surgery

What is an ACL tear?

The ACL is one of four main ligaments that provide stability within your knee joint. This ligament runs diagonally across the middle of your knee, crossing over the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) to form an X.

ACL injuries occur when this ligament stretches and tears. This most often occurs when you’re moving certain ways, including:

• Pivoting or side-stepping
• Slowing down and changing direction
• Stopping suddenly while running
• Landing awkwardly from a jump

Sometimes, ACL injuries result from direct force, like a football tackle or motor vehicle accident. ACL tears can happen to anyone, but they’re most common in people who play sports like soccer and basketball. 

Do I need surgery for a torn ACL?

Whether you need surgery to repair a torn ACL depends on several factors, including your activity level and the severity of your injury. Your highly trained provider at Memorial Orthopaedic Surgical Group carefully reviews your medical history and performs a physical exam before creating a personalized treatment plan. 

They may take imaging tests, like an X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, to check for concurrent injuries, like a fracture or torn cartilage. Then, they recommend the best treatment for you. If you need surgery, the team at Memorial Orthopaedic Surgical Group performs minimally invasive procedures whenever possible.

ACL reconstruction surgery may be necessary if you have combined injuries or if you want to return to sports and physical activities. Otherwise, the team at Memorial Orthopaedic Surgical Group may recommend nonsurgical treatments like physical therapy.

What should I expect from ACL reconstruction surgery?

The surgeons at Memorial Orthopaedic Surgical Group repair your torn or damaged ACL with a tissue graft from your hamstring tendon. First, they remove a portion of your hamstring tendon from a small incision below your knee. Then, they braid the tendon segments together to create an autograft. 

They perform the rest of the ACL reconstruction procedure arthroscopically through additional small incisions at the sides of your knee. They insert a thin, flexible tube with a camera (arthroscope) into your knee. This allows your surgeon to see what they’re doing without making a large incision. 

To repair your ACL, your surgeon inserts a surgical screw through the arthroscope and attaches the autograft to it. This graft acts as a replacement ACL. Then, your surgeon trims the excess tissue from the autograft and closes the incisions. 

If you think you need ACL surgery, call Memorial Orthopaedic Surgical Group or book an appointment online today.