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ACL Reconstruction

The anterior cruciate ligament is referred to as ACL. It is a layer of specialised connective tissue that links the femur and tibia in the knee joint. This function is carried out by four ligaments, out of which the ACL is most often injured. As a result, ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Mumbai is one of the most prevalent orthopaedic treatments.

Function:

It functions to stabilise the knee joint by limiting rotatory knee motions during twisting exercises and avoiding forward tibia (leg bone) movement over the femur (thigh bone).

Incidence:

ACL tears are a regular occurrence in athletes, particularly those between the ages of 14 and 45. Compared to male athletes, female athletes are more likely to sustain an ACL injury.

Causes of ACL Injury:

Soccer or football is the sport most often linked to ACL injuries. The ACL is injured when a player makes an improper landing on his foot and his torso turns, generating a rotational action at the knee that tears the ligament. A two-wheeler accident on the route is the second most frequent reason for an ACL injury. Once ripped, the ACL is irreparably damaged and requires reconstruction. Hence, ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Mumbai may be required only at Kapadia Multispeciality Hospital.

Grades of ACL Injury:

ACL injuries can also be divided into grades I, II, or III.

  • Grade I: Less than one-third of the ligament is torn, and the ligamental fibres are strained. There is some minor soreness and pain. With knee mobility of less than 5 mm, the knee joint seems secure.
  • Grade II: One-third to two-thirds of the ligamental fibres is torn, which is considered a provisional tear. There is some functional loss along with mild discomfort and edoema. With increased anterior translation (a knee laxity of 5 to 10 mm), the joint may feel shaky. The patient has pain, and Lachman's and anterior drawer stress tests may make it worse.
  • Grade III: The fibres are entirely torn. There is soreness and somewhat little discomfort (in comparison to the severity of the injury). The swelling's intensity can change. The knee feels shaky, particularly in the rotational direction (positive pivot shift test). Knee mobility is more than 10 millimetres. Within one to two hours, haemarthrosis (bleeding into the knee joints) becomes visible.

How do you know if your ACL is torn after a Knee Injury:

  • A "cracking" or loud pop in the knee at the moment of the accident.
  • Extreme discomfort that prevents one from engaging in the activity or stand/walk.
  • Rapid enlargement or swelling in the knee.
  • Reduction in the movement range.
  • Feeling unsteady or "giving way" while walking or running a few days after the injury.

Risk Factors:

  • Being female, perhaps as a result of anatomical, muscular, and hormonal variations.
  • Engaging in some sports including basketball, gymnastics, football, and downhill skiing.
  • Unfit condition.
  • Making improper range of motion, such as squatting while bending the knees inward.
  • Donning footwear that is improperly sized.
  • Making use of out-of-tune sporting goods, such as improperly fitted ski bindings.

Prevention:

ACL injury prevention strategies encompass:

  • Core-strengthening exercises that target the hips, pelvis, and lower abdomen with the aim of teaching athletes to keep their knees from bending inward during squats.
  • Leg-strengthening activities, especially hamstring workouts, to keep an equilibrium in leg muscle strength.
  • Exercises and training that place a strong emphasis on good knee positioning when hopping and landing from jumps.
  • Technical instruction to enhance swinging and cutting motions.

Diagnosis:

The physical examination is frequently sufficient to make the diagnosis, but testing may be required to exclude other causes and assess the degree of the damage. These tests could consist of:

  • X-rays: To check out a broken bone, X-rays might be required. Nevertheless, soft structures like ligaments, menisci, and tendons are not visible on x-rays.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): A strong electromagnetic field and radio signals are used in an MRI to create a picture of your body's soft and hard structures. An MRI can reveal the full degree of an ACL tear as well as indications of cartilage degradation and other knee tissue deterioration. The gold standard for identifying an ACL injury is MRI.

Treatment:

The first step in treating an ACL tear is to refrain from moving the injured knee. You should also contact an orthopaedic surgeon and get an X-ray to check out any fractures. Ensure resting for at least one or two days. The two most crucial therapeutic techniques to minimise swelling are icing and limb elevation. For the initial 72 hours, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are necessary.

  • Rest: Resting generally promotes recovery and prevents stress on your knee from carrying weight.
  • Ice: Attempt to ice your knee while you are awake at least once every two hours for a period of twenty minutes.
  • Compression: Your knee should be wrapped in compression or elastic bandage.
  • Elevation: Your knee should be raised on cushions as you lie down.

Surgery:

Your doctor may recommend ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Mumbai if:

  • You're an athlete who wants to keep playing your sport, particularly if it requires twisting, cutting, or jumping.
  • Your knee's meniscus, a fibrous cartilage, is also affected in addition to several ligaments.
  • Your knee is buckling as a result of the injury when performing daily tasks.

During ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Mumbai, the torn ligament is removed, or in rare situations, the native ligament is preserved (remnant sparing ACL reconstruction), and is replaced by a section of the tendon, the tissue that links muscle to bone and functions similarly to a ligament. The graft is the name given to this substitute tissue. In some instances, this graft is supplemented by fibre tape, which acts as a safety harness to safeguard it in the early phases. Inbuilt splint augmentation, an innovative approach that uses fibre tape, has been shown in tests to accelerate recovery following ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Mumbai. The graft options include hamstring tendons in the knee like the semitendinosus and gracilis, patellar tendon with bone on both sides called bone-patellar tendon bone, central quadriceps tendon, peroneal longus.

Your original hamstring tendon or, in rare circumstances, your bone-patellar tendon bone is the most frequently used transplant in ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Mumbai.

To know more kindly contact the best orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Rahul Modi for further queries.
This surgery is frequently performed by the best orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Rahul Modi for treating ACL Reconstruction EDT.