ACL stands for acute cruciate ligament. This is one of the most important joints of the knee which is known to keep it stable. Your upper and lower knee bones are joined to each other. If you bend or twist, or for the matter when you jump in an incorrect manner playing football, this could also arise due to over straightening of the knee. All these factors are responsible for the damage to ACL. In comparison, women are more prone to such type of injuries. An orthopedic surgeon conducts these surgeries.
As far as the process of surgery starts the patient is given a general or a special anesthesia. Then the surgeon would incorporate small incisions around the knee. Then suitable instruments would be inserted inside for operating it. For expansion inside you go on to incorporate saline solution. In doing so a clearer view to the surgeon is provided for operating on the knee. At this point in time, an arthroscopy is inserted so that a clear examination of the knee takes place. At the same time, the surgeon goes on to graft various tissues in order to go ahead with the ACL surgery. It could be very well possible that a part of the hamstring is taken for surgical purposes. At times you can go on to take the tissues from the donors as well. This graft tissue that is taken needs to fit on to the size of the knee. With screws, you need to position it in a proper manner so that it remains lifelong there.
Once done the surgeon would go on to check out the strength of the graft whether it is lifelong or not. Even when you bent or move the knee the graft has to be stable. After this point in time, you are likely to find the incisions to be stitched. Then you need to transfer the patient to the hospital ward for general recovery. With an ice, bandage provided the swelling is reduced to a considerable extent. The surgeon would formulate a detailed plan with the patient on a fast track recovery process for the patient. It is of paramount importance that the patient does go on to follow it in a proper manner.
There may be a host of exercises to work on the operated knee. The balance is facilitated with the focus being on the leg muscles. It ensures that you are able to walk in a proper manner. You need to cross check the fact that the operated knee is likely to be stiff for a couple of weeks. At this point in time, you would need the help of painkillers. As a patient, you would need to maintain your leg in a raised position. After post surgery, you would need to walk with crutches for a couple of weeks. The ACL reconstruction cost in India works out to be among the lowest in the world. How soon the patient will return to work depends on the type of work you have.