ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Reconstruction | HMT St Hugh's Hospital

ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Reconstruction

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What is the anterior cruciate ligament?

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the important ligaments that stabilise your knee. If you have torn (ruptured) this ligament, your knee can collapse or ‘give way’ when making twisting or turning movements.

An ACL rupture happens as a result of a twisting injury to your knee. The common causes are contact sports and skiing injuries.You can injure other parts of your knee at the same time such as tearing a cartilage (meniscus) or damaging the joint surface.

What are the benefits of surgery?

Your knee should not give way any more. This will allow you to be more active and you may be able to return to some of or all your sporting activities.

Are there any alternatives to surgery?

The physiotherapist can give you exercises to strengthen and improve the co-ordination of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles in your thigh.

Wearing a knee brace can sometimes help if your knee only gives way while you are playing sports.

What does the operation involve?

Various anaesthetic techniques are possible.

The operation usually takes an hour to 90 minutes.

Your surgeon will make one or more cuts around your knee. Most surgeons perform the operation by an arthroscopy (keyhole surgery), using a camera to see inside your knee.

Your surgeon will replace the ACL with a piece of suitable tissue (a graft) from another area of your body.

The top and bottom ends of the replacement ligament are fixed with special screws or anchors into holes drilled in the bone.

How soon will I recover?

You should be able to go home the same day or the day after.

Your surgeon may want you to wear a knee brace for a few weeks. Once your knee is settling down you will need to start intensive physiotherapy treatment.

Regular exercise should help you to return to normal activities as soon as possible. Before you start exercising, ask the healthcare team or your GP for advice.

Most people make a good recovery after an ACL reconstruction but this takes hard work.

It is unlikely that your knee will ever be as good as it was before the original injury.

What complications can happen?

Some complications can be serious and even cause death.

General complications of any operation

Pain
Bleeding
Infection of the surgical site (wound)
Unsightly scarring of your skin
Blood clot in your leg
Blood clot in your lung
Difficulty passing urine

Specific complications of this operation

Break of your kneecap
Damage to nerves around your knee
Infection in your knee
Discomfort in the front of your knee
Loss of knee movement
Your knee keeps giving way
Severe pain, stiffness and loss of use of your knee

Availability

NHS/Private

Pricing*

Consultant

£1042

Anaesthetist

£429

Hospital

£7188

Prices start from

£8659

*The prices shown are minimum guide prices only. Diagnostic scans and investigations are not included unless otherwise stated. The exact cost of treatment will be made clear to you before you proceed.

This document is intended for information purposes only and should not replace advice your healthcare team gives you. This information is published under license from EIDO Healthcare UK and is protected by copyright. Other than for your personal, non-commercial use, you may not copy, print, download or otherwise reproduce it.

If your knee continually gives way after an ACL rupture, reconstruction offers the chance of improving the stability of your knee in everyday life and in sporting activities. You may be able to return to a level of sport that otherwise would not be possible.

What to do next

Talk to us about ways to pay, either insured or self-pay, and find out if you need a referral from your doctor.
If you need one, ask your doctor for a referral letter.
Call us to book an appointment with a consultant.

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I can’t thank everyone enough for the amazing care given. Such lovely attentive nurses. I will definitely recommend St Hughs and Mr Riaz and his team. Brilliant hospital.

Could not fault anything about my stay in St Hughs. Everybody was wonderful. Thank you all.

Everybody was kind, considerate and a jolly bunch, which helps to put you at ease and gives you confidence in knowing that they know what they are doing. 5 stars.

All staff extremely kind, patient and friendly. A credit to the hospital. Thank you.

Very good hospital and very good staff. I have never met so many caring people in one place. The nursing was 1st class. The encouragement to walk was also very good.

I had an amazing experience during my time at St Hugh’s Hospital, from my initial consultation to the aftercare following my procedure. Communication with the cosmetic nurse was brilliant; every member of staff I met was kind respectful, caring and polite. My surgeon was fantastic, so professional and kind, I trusted his knowledge completely.