Making the difficult decision to go under the knife and have your damaged ACL surgical repaired is no easy decision however, now that you are thinking about the procedure you may have several question about what exactly is involved. So, here you will find the answers to questions like:
- How to prepare for surgery.
- What happens during surgery.
- How much does this surgery cost.
- Finally what to expect afterwards.
- And more
So, let's begin.....
ACL Reconstruction Surgery Stages
ACL reconstruction surgery is a surgical tissue graft replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament to restore its function. Before the procedure actually begins firstly you and your surgeon must decide what type of graph would be best suited to you. Obviously each persons preference is different and each surgeon will use different grafts depending on their past experiences and results. But the most commonly used grafts that would be available to you are:
- Hamstring Tendon Graft.
- Patellar Tendon Graft.
- Donor Tissue Graft.
Preparing for ACL Surgery
- You will be fasting for at least 12 hours.
- Shower before the surgery as you will not be able to shower afterwards.
- You will be asked to stop smoking to decrease the chances of infection.
- Once inside you will change from your normal clothes to a hospital gown.
- Your surgeon will speak to you about the procedure and will also gain your consent before beginning the surgery.
What happens during Surgery
- The surgery usually takes about 1 hour 15 Minutes, depending on the work needed to repair your knee.
- The anaesthesiologist will first begin by administrating the correct dosage of anaesthesia to put you to sleep.
- The surgeon will then begin to make 3 to 4 small incision in the skin around the knee
- Next the surgeon will pump sterile fluid into your knee joint, this creates tunnels and a clear picture for the surgeon to work from.
- Then the chosen graft will be taken and placed through the tunnels, then secured to form your new ligament.
- Finally your surgeon will stitch up the incisions he/she made earlier, completing the procedure.
After Surgery
- The effects of the anaesthesia will not have passed for several hours afterwards. You may have to stay overnight at the hospital.
- Pain killers will be available to help you with any discomfort caused by the surgery.
- A knee brace will be required to wear to help protect the knee
- Your leg may be completely numb due to numbing agents, so be mindful of any bumps or knocks taken directly to the knee.
The Pro's & Con's of ACL Reconstruction Surgery
If your ACL injury has been correctly diagnosed and surgery is being recommended to you by a doctor, a physiotherapy or even friends and family then its important to understand everything that is involved and how exactly its going to impact you in a positive and negative way.
Pro's
- Allows people to return to sports or high level activities after a rehabilitation period.
- Less of a chance of further damage to the surrounding cartilage in years to come.
- Returns the ligament to a fully functional status.
- Left untreated it may cause chronic ACL deficiency which will increase the chances of the knee becoming weaker over time.
Cons
- The cost of ACL surgery can be expensive.
- Even though ACL surgeries have become common these days, they're still classed as a Major Surgery that carry potential risks.
- Not 100% guarantee, even with today's advancements in technology there is still a slim chance that the surgery may not be successful.
- Surgery will leave several scars in the skin around the knee.
- Rehabilitation after the surgery will be set over a long period of time (minimum 6 months).
The Cost of ACL Surgery
The cost of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery will be based on the options available to you in your given region, for example whether you go through the Public System, go Private or if your Insurance will cover surgery everyone's situation will differ from everyone else.
Payment Options
- If the Public System is the best available options for you, deciding this option has it advantages and disadvantages. A benefit of the Public System is the significant amount of money you can save by not directly paying for surgery, but unfortunately the waiting times for the Public System can be anything from 6 Months to 24 Months in the UK, Ireland and most of Europe.
- If you decide to go down the Private Route and pay for surgery out of your own pocket, then one advantage of this would be the short waiting lists, rough estimates would suggest that patients may only be waiting 1 to 3 Months before having surgery. The big disadvantage of going Private would be the substantial Bill you receive after surgery.
- Your Insurance plan may be able to cover your surgery needs and save you the hassle of long waiting lists or expensive surgery bills. So be sure to speak to your Insurance company before scheduling any dates.
Private Surgery Costs
Prices for Surgery will differ depending on where you are in the world and even the price of surgery may differ from hospital to hospital in each country you live in. Each price you see here are estimates found through research, so be sure to do your own research as you may be able to find a better price.
- UK = approx £5000 - £6500
- Ireland = approx €4500 - €6000
- Europe/ e.g (Germany, France) = approx €5000 - €7000
- Europe/ e.g (Lithuania, Latvia) = approx €2500 - €4000
- USA = approx $16000 - $20000
- Australia = approx $8000 - $12000
Factors that may impact Surgery Cost
- Quality and Experience of the Surgeon.
- Price of a overnight stay in the hospital.
- Number of consultations before and after the surgery.
- The price of the Anaesthesiologist
- Country, City or State you may be living in.
Additional Cost
- Pain Medication
- Physio Therapy
- Rehabilitation Equipment
- Gym Membership
- Follow-Up Appointments
- Medical Supplies
The Equipment used after ACL Surgery
The Knee Brace
- Provides support on either side of the knee joint after undergoing surgery following an injury.
- To allow the knee to bend and straighten within a given range of motion
- To allow functional movement such as walking and sitting.
- To increase the patients confidence in their knees ability to bear their own bodyweight.
When to wear your Knee Brace
- Wear your knee brace AT ALL TIMES provided your surgeon hasn't given you any other form of instruction. Wearing the brace at all times allows your knee to be safe and protected.
- Remove your knee brace when you decide to shower, allowing the brace to get wet could damage, break or effect the strength and toughness of the brace, which is something you don't want to happen.
- You will also be asked to remove your knee brace for physiotherapy or any form of rehabilitation, the removal of the brace will give you move freedom to perform each exercise.
How to wear a Knee Brace
- Firstly lay the brace on a flat surface with all the straps opened.
- Next place your injured knee inside the brace, lining up the brace in the correct position so it doesn't prohibited you from bending or straightening your knee.
- Finally bring each strap over the top of your leg and fasten each strap securely. Do not tighten straps too much as this could cause blood flow restrictions in your leg.
Crutches
- To Aid and/or Assist a person when they transfer their bodyweight while on one leg.
- Used by patients who can not bear their full body weight, usually through the lower half of their body.
- They can also be used to help stabilise patients who are standing on one leg due to an injury, like an ACL injury.
How to properly use Crutches
- Before you begin you must first adjust the settings on your crutches to the correct measurements while standing. The handles of each crutch should be at wrist height when your arms are straight down by your side, the cuffs of the crutch should be below the elbow resting against your forearm.
- Once both crutches have been adjusted patients must now insert each arm into the cuff of either crutch and then firmly grip the handle with their palm and fingers.
- Patients should stand up straight when using crutches and avoid bending over or falling side to side.
- To start walking patients must place both their crutches approx one foot in front of themselves. Next patients will begin to bear their own bodyweight through the crutches, once both crutches are safely touching the ground patients should begin to swing their lower body forward between both crutches, as if they were taking a step forward while keeping the injured leg and/or knee off the ground.
- Moving in a forward direction while using crutches is the safest pathway to travel, if for any reason you need to turn either left or right then spinning while standing on one foot is the safest way.
Now that you've finished reading what are your thoughts about the information,
- Did you find it helpful?
- What part did you enjoy?
- Are you going through this experience right now?
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