Reconstrucción del ligamento cruzado anterior

If you'd like to see more scientifically accurate 3D medical images, subscribe to our channel:    / nucleushealthvideose   MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is one of the four main ligaments that connects the femur to the tibia. The ACL provides stability when you move your knee. An ACL tear can occur if the knee joint is over-rotated or if you receive a direct blow to the front of the knee. If the ACL tears completely, your doctor may recommend surgery to repair it. Before the procedure, you will receive spinal anesthesia, which will numb your body from the chest down, or general anesthesia, which will keep you asleep during the procedure. During the arthroscopic procedure, the surgeon will make small incisions around your knee, through which they will insert surgical instruments, including a camera. The camera will transmit images to a TV monitor, which the surgeon will view during the procedure. First, the surgeon will remove any remaining fragments of the ACL tear from your knee. Then, they will harvest a portion of the patellar tendon to use as a graft or donor tissue. The surgeon will create attachment points for the graft by drilling a small tunnel at the end of the tibia and then another at the end of the femur. The surgeon will place one end of the patellar tendon graft into the tibial tunnel. Then, they will lift the graft through the knee joint and into the femoral tunnel to create a new ACL tendon. Finally, the surgeon will place small screws in the tunnels at each end of the new ACL to hold it in place. Over the next six to eight weeks, bone growth will fill these tunnels and stabilize the graft. At the end of the procedure, the doctor will remove the instruments and close the incisions. This procedure typically takes between two and two and a half hours. After the procedure, you will go to the recovery room for two to three hours. Afterward, you will return home. You will likely need a knee brace and crutches for one to four weeks. Supervised physical therapy will begin two to three days after surgery and continue for six to ten weeks. After this time, continue with self-directed therapy as long as needed. A reconstructed ACL takes approximately nine months to heal completely. You should avoid contact sports, racquet sports, and other sports that require quick changes of direction until you are cleared by your doctor. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction ANH00032es