How Much Does ACL Reconstruction Surgery Cost?

Symptoms

Some of the most prevalent signs of ACL injury pain include the following:

Pain: Minor wounds might not hurt, but one might feel soreness along the knee joint area. While others have trouble standing or applying pressure to the hurt limb.

Swelling: Within the first 24 hours after an accident, swelling is most likely to develop. Normally, individuals raise their legs by putting them on a pillow and applying ice to their knees.

Walking Challenges: Another sign that suggests someone may be losing the knee joint earlier than they should is this one. In this circumstance, one should refrain from applying pressure to the wounded limb.

Less Range of Motion: When the ACL is torn, some people have more trouble bending and flexing their knees than they would normally.

• Other symptoms that may suggest ACL injury include: – a popping sound in the knee, extreme pain, immobility of the affected knee and leg, the inability of the knee to sustain weight, inflammation, and swelling in the first 24 hours.

Procedure

The Procedure Before

• Before the procedure, one will probably undergo physical therapy for a few weeks. Prior to surgery, your knee should have its complete range of motion again, and the muscles should be strengthened. Patients who had a stiff, swollen knee before surgery could not fully recover their range of motion.
• Being an outpatient treatment, ACL restoration allows patients to return home the same day. Plan a ride home with a friend or family member.
• Any drugs or dietary supplements one is taking should be disclosed to the doctor. The doctor might advise one to stop taking any blood thinners at least a week prior to surgery if one frequently takes them in order to lower the risk of bleeding.
• Follow the doctor’s advice for when to cease taking any medications, eating, drinking, or exercising the night before the procedure.

During the Procedure

• Patients will be fully unconscious throughout the ACL restoration operation because general anesthetic is often utilized in this procedure. Mostly, ACL reconstruction surgery is often carried out through a succession of tiny incisions, one for a thin, tube-like video camera and others for access to the joint space for surgical equipment.
• The injured ligament will be removed by the surgeon, and a tendon segment will be placed in its place. The replacement tissue, also known as a graft, is taken from another area of your knee or a deceased donor’s tendon.
• To precisely position the graft, your surgeon will drill holes or tunnels into your thighbone and shinbone. The graft is then fastened to the bones using screws or other devices. The transplant will serve as a scaffold for the development of new ligament tissue.

After the Procedure

• Once the patient has recovered from the anesthetic, they can leave that day. Before returning home, one may practice using crutches, and the doctor might instruct patients to wear a knee brace or splint to safeguard the graft.
• How to deal with swelling and pain after surgery will be covered in detail by the surgeon. In general, one should elevate the leg, wrap the knee in an ice pack or cold compress, and rest as much as possible.
• Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium are examples of over-the-counter painkillers. The doctor might advise stronger drugs as well. Opioids have a number of negative effects and a high risk of addiction; thus, they should only be recommended for extremely severe pain.
• Follow the surgeon’s recommendations for when to ice your knee, how long to use crutches, and when patients can put weight on your knee. Additionally, one will be told when to take a bath or shower, when to change a wound’s dressing, and how to take care of oneself after surgery.
• Progressive physical therapy after ACL surgery aids in increasing flexibility and strengthening the muscles surrounding the knee.
• A physical therapist will demonstrate the activities one will complete at home or with supervision. The best outcomes and optimum healing depend on adhering to the rehabilitation plan.