Here is a summary of my operation...
Autograft is the most widely performed orthopedic ACL reconstruction. The technique involves moving (harvesting) the patient’s own tissue. Commonly used autografts are the mid-third of the patellar tendon with bone attached at both ends, one or two medial hamstrings, or the quadriceps tendon with bone at one end. Results are somewhat similar and secondary effects are unique to the harvest site.
...Allograft, via hamstring is the winner for me!
This is what it all entails for me. (Graft refers to my hamstring they are taking to form a new ACL)
During the procedure:
The patient is anesthetized using general, spinal/epidural, regional or in some centers, local anesthetic with sedation. Arthroscopy allows determination of associated injuries, which are usually treated at the same setting (e.g., meniscal tears or chondral trauma). The space in the knee where the PCL and ACL reside, the notch, is often narrow and in those cases it is widened (notchplasty) to accommodate the graft.
Then through a small separate accessory incision, a TUNNEL (yes, it says tunnel) is DRILLED through the tibia (lower leg bone) AND through the femur (the upper bone) in the same position as the original ligament attachment sites. The graft is fashioned to fit into these tunnels. The graft is fixed to the femur and tibia (upper and lower leg bones) by a variety of means.(pretty sure this might mean drilling into my bone) Once secure, the graft is checked for proper tension. The knee is placed in a compressive dressing with allowance for cryotherapy. Usually the patient is released as an outpatient.
Well, this will be fun...
30 days until it all begins.... oi-vey.
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