Ligament Reconstruction

 

Anterior Cruciate Ligament ( ACL)

The ACL is one of the four major ligaments of the knee joint and is critical to the knee joint stability. It provides stability in front to back as well as rotatory direction.

 

 

MRI scan showing normal AM and PL bundle of intact ACL

Normal ACL has two bundles; AM (anteromedial) bundle and PL (posterolateral) bundle.

 

ACL Tear

Although the commonest cause of an ACL tear is sports related injury, it can also tear as a result of road traffic accident, fall and relatively minor injury. Pivoting or landing from height is the commonest mechanism of ACL rupture.

Patients with ACL tear mainly complain of knee joint giving out and feeling of instability mainly with turning and twisting activities, e.g. sporting activities. When there is significant injury, instability can be there even on day to day actives.

 

ACL tears do not repair and therefore are reconstructed with either hamstring or patella tendon graft.

 

 

ACL does not repair and therefore it is reconstructed with either hamstring or patella tendon graft.