Arthroscopic reconstruction of the knee ligaments

Torn knee cruciate ligament

• Tears of the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament are very common injuries affecting both athletes engaged in dynamic sports such as football, basketball, or skiing, as well as others who sustain injuries, for example, during various types of accidents.

The knee is one of the most heavily loaded joints in our body, containing, among others, two important ligaments: the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). These ligaments provide joint stability while allowing mobility.

• When one of these ligaments is torn, the knee becomes unstable, which can lead to further damage and pain. This situation may indicate the need for arthroscopic reconstruction of the torn ligament.
• It should be emphasized that surgery is the only effective solution to the primary cause of the injury.

However, it is important to remember that the injury causing the ligament tear usually does not affect only the ligament itself but often also damages accompanying ligaments and menisci.

Indications for ligament reconstruction surgery

The decision to perform ligament reconstruction surgery depends, among others, on:

• the degree of ligament damage,
• the location of the rupture,
• the overall health condition of the patient,
• the patient’s lifestyle and professional activity.

In cases of partial tears or minor injuries, treatment may include non-surgical methods such as physiotherapy, strengthening and stabilizing exercises, as well as immobilization of the joint for a certain period.

However, the decision to operate should not be delayed!

It is recommended that the reconstruction of the torn ligament be performed no later than six months after the injury.

Sometimes it is also better to wait with reconstruction until the post-injury process subsides. This time can be used for preliminary rehabilitation, which facilitates subsequent postoperative recovery.

Indications for performing such a procedure include:

• knee joint instability, a feeling of the joint “giving way”
• limited range of motion,
• pain,
• failure of non-invasive treatment methods such as physiotherapy or pharmacotherapy.

What does the torn ligament reconstruction surgery involve?

The goal of ligament reconstruction surgery is to restore the proper function and stability of the joint as well as to prevent further damage to the cartilage surfaces and menisci or degenerative changes.

This procedure is most often performed using a minimally invasive arthroscopic method, which involves inserting an arthroscope (microcamera) and special surgical instruments into the joint through small incisions, allowing even very complex operations to be performed without opening the joint. The course of the surgery is observed on a television monitor, often with significant magnification.

Knee ligament reconstruction surgery is performed in the operating room under regional anesthesia (spinal) or general anesthesia. The patient is positioned lying on the operating table. The operated knee is placed on a special support. During the surgery, the orthopedic surgeon removes the damaged ligament and replaces it with a new one, which may be an autograft (tendons or ligaments taken from the patient near the operated joint) or a frozen graft from a tissue bank, known as an allograft, or a synthetic ligament.