ABC Medical Center > Diseases > Ligament surgery

What is Ligament surgery?

11:15 - 5 July , 2021

Disease

There are four ligaments in the knee: medial or internal collateral, lateral collateral, anterior cruciate, and posterior cruciate, which provide support, stability, and movement to the joint. However, sudden movements, blows, or excessive stretching can break them, and each of the injuries shows a different severity depending on the ligament in question.

  • Rupture of the medial collateral ligament: This is relatively common and usually heals properly in six to eight weeks without the need for surgery, but if it is injured at the same time as other ligaments, it becomes a bigger problem.
  • Rupture of the lateral collateral ligament: it is not so frequent, but sometimes it occurs together with the damage to other ligaments, which complicates its repair and implies surgical treatment. 
  • Rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament: it is not very common and it is not usually serious if it occurs in isolation, and can be treated without the need for surgery, but if it appears together with other injured ligaments, a surgical reconstruction will be required. 
  • Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament: it is the most serious and the most frequent, requiring surgical reconstruction due to its inability to heal because it is located within the joint. Its recovery ranges from eight to 12 months.

Diagnosis and treatment Ligament surgery

An MRI confirms the diagnosis, the extent, and severity of the injury, as well as the existence of associated damage. It is the best method to correctly diagnose the extent of an injury such as cruciate ligament tear and determine the possible existence of associated injuries.

The indicated treatment is reconstructive arthroscopic surgery, where the torn ligament is removed and replaced by tendon tissue from the patient or from a cadaver.

Potential risks:

  • Chronic knee pain and swelling.
  • Poor healing or graft rejection.
  • Lack of mobility in the joint.

Before surgery:

Surely, your doctor will recommend to carry out a physical therapy program weeks before surgery in order to reduce pain and inflammation, in addition to strengthening the muscles. 

After surgery:

It is an outpatient procedure, so you will probably return home on the same day. You will have to use crutches as indicated by your doctor and also use a splint or knee brace as appropriate. You will need to rest, keep your leg up, and apply ice regularly. 

You will need to follow your rehabilitation program to achieve a proper recovery. 

At the Orthopedics and Traumatology Center we seek to improve the lives of patients restricted or immobilized by musculoskeletal disorders or injuries. We specialize in the care of the locomotor system by integrating the latest medical, biological, and technological advances, in strict adherence to the highest international standards of patient care.

We put our skills and knowledge at your service to provide you and your loved ones with cutting-edge treatments and highly specialized medical care in the following procedures:

  • Arthroscopic surgery.
  • Partial and total joint replacement surgery (prostheses).
  • Trauma surgery.
  • Hand surgery. 
  • Foot and ankle surgery.
  • Spinal surgery.

We treat injuries such as:

  • Dislocation.
  • Chronic bone and joint diseases.
  • Ligaments.
  • Spinal diseases.
  • Joint replacements.

Related centers and departments

High Specialty Surgery Center
Orthopedics And Traumatology Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

  • amc.org.mx
  • news-medical.net
  • sanitas.es
  • mayoclinic.org
  • medigraphic.com
  • Canales-Zamora O, Benítez-Romero A, Mejía-Rohenes L, et al. Lesiones multiligamentarias de rodilla asociadas a ruptura de tendón rotuliano. Acta Ortop Mex. 2020;34(6):417-421. doi:10.35366/99141. 
  • Álvarez LA, García LY. Lesiones del ligamento cruzado anterior. AMC. 2015;19(1):.
  • Pichardo FA, García MJA. Correlación diagnóstica de lesiones meniscales y ligamentarias de rodilla: Resonancia magnética vs artroscopia. Acta Med. 2011;9(1):17-19.
  • Muñoz-Valadez CI, Román-Galicia J, Juárez-Jiménez HG. Reconstrucción simultánea de ambos ligamentos cruzados anteriores. Acta Ortop Mex. 2020;34(1):53-57. doi:10.35366/94625. 

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    The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.