What happens During Surgery?
You may be put under a general anesthesia before surgery commences.
For keyhole surgery, your surgeon will make one or more cuts around your knee. An arthroscope (small camera) will be inserted through one or more of the cuts, allowing the surgeon to examine the inside of your knee, clean out any damaged tissue, and identify which areas of the ACL and meniscus need to be repaired.
For ACL reconstruction, your surgeon will remove the torn ligament and replace it with a band of suitable tissue (graft) from a different part of your body. This will then be connected to the bone via screws and anchors.
For meniscal repair, your surgeon will insert sutures into the torn edges of the meniscus in order to pull the tear together so that it can start to heal.
The number of screws and sutures inserted into the knee will vary depending on the location and size of the tears. As a result, the length of surgery can vary between 90-120 minutes.
How long will I stay in hospital?
The majority of patients stay one night in hospital and return home the following day.
What is my recovery time?
You will be given painkillers to reduce pain around your knee following surgery.
In most cases you will have to wear a brace or cast to keep your knee stable.
You will also need to use crutches for a minimum of one month to keep weight off your knee.
Physiotherapy will help to increase your range of motion and strengthen your knee over time.
A good recovery from ACL reconstruction and meniscal repair surgery takes 6-9 months depending on the patient and their rehabilitation program.
