How do I know if I need knee reconstructive surgery?
The knee is one of the most complex joints in the body and it can be impacted by sudden injury that damages ligaments. Commonly this results in the knee giving way, recurrent pain, swelling or stiffness. If rest, pain relief and physiotherapy-led rehabilitation exercises are no longer helping, your doctor may recommend an MRI scan and possible knee reconstruction surgery.
ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) reconstructive surgery is an extremely common surgical procedure. As one of the four major knee ligaments, the ACL is also one of the most frequently injured. Your surgeon will usually take a tendon from your hamstrings, patellar tendon or quadriceps to replace the torn knee ligament.
Other ligaments often reconstructed include the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) towards the back of the knee. This is commonly injured from direct impact such as a sports tackle or car accident, but does not always require surgery. The collateral ligaments on either side are usually damaged from a blow to the side of the knee. If the patella is not tracking correctly or it dislocates, this can also cause a feeling of knee instability and can be rectified by patella realignment surgery.
Other common procedures to reconstruct the knee joint and alleviate pain include partial meniscectomy to fix a meniscus tear, and a synovectomy to remove inflamed synovium that secretes fluid around the knee joint.
What are the general recovery times?
Reconstructive surgery can usually be performed as minimally invasive surgery using a tiny camera and small instruments. Recovery times will depend on the extent of the operation as well as your general health going into the procedure.
ACL and PCL reconstruction can take up to 12 months for a full recovery. Meniscus tears and synovectomies will have a shorter recovery period of around 6 weeks and a patella realignment may need up to 4 months recovery\
Other knee surgeries and procedures
Total knee replacement approaches
How much will my knee surgery cost?
Understanding the cost of your treatment is an important consideration before committing to surgery, but it’s not always easy to find the information you need. Learn more about the factors which contribute to the cost of your surgery:
What will my treatment and recovery look like?
Familiarising yourself with your treatment program and understanding the recovery process are important steps to take on the pathway to surgery.
Patient Journey – Knee Surgery
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