| meone refers to their ACL, what do they mean? | | | | from a cadaver. When performing an allograft, it is |
| The acronym, ACL, stands for the Anterior Cruciate | | | | possible that the graft will be rejected by the body. |
| Ligament. Along with your PCL, LCL, and MCL, the | | | | This may lead to another surgery to remove the |
| Anterior Cruciate Ligament helps to provide stability | | | | graft and repeat the reconstruction process. |
| to your knee. Due to its attachment on the femur | | | | Recovery |
| and tibia the ACL resists anterior translation of the | | | | The recovery period for this type of surgery will |
| tibia, in relationship to the femur. In other words, it | | | | often include physical therapy, and make use of a |
| prevents your lower leg from sliding forward in | | | | well designed knee brace. Your physical therapist will |
| relationship to your upper leg. | | | | work with you on range of motion (ROM) exercises. |
| ACL Surgery | | | | ROM exercises are used to regain the flexibility of |
| ACL surgery uses Autografts, (which is a tissue or | | | | the ligament. Moreover, ROM exercises are used to |
| organ that is grafted from one tissue or organ in | | | | help prevent scar tissue from forming, and help |
| your body,and subplants that same tissue | | | | maintain muscle tone. - In addition, the use of a post |
| somewhere else, in your body). For example, ACL | | | | operative knee brace can help provide support to the |
| surgeries can use a patient's own hamstring or | | | | knee while it is in this vulnerable position. Later on, a |
| patellar tendon, in place of the torn ACL. | | | | functional acl knee brace can be used to help provide |
| After having an ACL surgery, there is still a chance | | | | meaningful support in activities of daily living. These |
| that a person can reinjure their anterior cruciate | | | | knee braces can help promote healing, and help to |
| ligament. If this does occur, a person can undergo a | | | | reduce pain in your knee as well. |
| second ACL reconstruction. A bone graft may be | | | | One of the benefits of a reconstructed ACL, is that |
| required, because of holes in the bone, at this point. | | | | there is a high success rate. Studies have revealed |
| The new screws in the next ACL recontruction will | | | | that if the ACL re-tears, it will most likely be due to a |
| have to have a firm hold. The bone graft allows for | | | | severe injury, or a traumatic impact. This is not likely |
| these holes to be filled, so that in consecutive ACL | | | | to happen, unless you participte in contact sports. |
| recontruction and the screws in this operation will | | | | References : |
| have a proper, well anchored fit. | | | | Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House |
| What is an Allograft? | | | | Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
| An allograft in this instance would be an ACL, or | | | | D'Amato MJ, Rach BR Jr (2003). Anterior cruciate |
| other useful tendon taken from one member of the | | | | ligament reconstruction in the adult section of |
| human species and grafted to a genetically dissimilar | | | | Anterior cruciate ligament injuries. In JC DeLee, D |
| person. In an allograft, the anterior tibialis tendon, the | | | | Drez Jr, eds., Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, 2nd ed., |
| Achilles tendon, or the patellar tendon can be used | | | | vol. 2, pp. 2012'2067. Philadelphia: Saunders. |