SURGERY INFORMATION

KNEE SURGERY, ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT.You have injured the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee. The following is a list of common questions and answers that I have compiled with the help of patients whom I've treated in the past. I know it's sometimes difficult to ask questions of doctors or to remember to ask all the questions you had planned. I hope this will help you. If there's anything else you're wondering about, please feel free to ask and I'll be glad to answer and probably add your question to this handout.
WHAT IS THE ACL?There are two large ligaments inside your knee each about the size of your little finger that cross deep inside the joint. They are called the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) and go from the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone). They serve to stabilize the knee and allow it to glide through a smooth range of motion as you bend and straighten the leg. The ACL is the ligament in the front and the one most commonly injured.(Back to top) About half the time when the ACL is torn there is also damage to the meniscus cartilage inside the knee. If present, this is something that can be taken care of at the same time ACL surgery is performed. You can usually tell whether there is a torn cartilage on examination but sometimes this is difficult. Occasionally, an MRI study can help but this is expensive and time consuming and usually is not necessary. (Back to top)