Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair (ACL-repair)

Replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee joint using patellar tendon +/- hamstring tendon (keyhole surgery or open surgery)

Speciality Orthopaedics
Urgency elective, urgent
Duration 1 to 2 h
Blood Loss minimal to 250 ml
Anaesthesia General Anaesthetic +/- Local Anaesthetic, General Anaesthetic +/- Nerve Block
Anaesthesia II Spinal, +/- Local Anaesthetic
Nerve Blocks Femoral, Sciatic
Procedures Urinary catheter
Pain moderate-severe (++++)
Post-op Pain Local up to 4-8 hours, Nerve Block up to 10-30 hours, Nerve Catheter (a few days)
Post-op Pain II Tablets, Suppositories, Injection (im, iv), PCA
Hospital Stay 1 to 2 days
Full Recovery 8 to 12 weeks
Additional Info Use of low dose local anaesthetic for nerve blocks for early post-operative mobilisation, PCA could be used in combination with a nerve block / Graded exercise and physiotherapy as advised, It is important not to overdo exercising

Specialities