In this surgery, we remove the remaining parts of the anterior cruciate ligament, harvest a new ligament from a tendon around your knee, thread this through tunnels in your bone, and hold the graft in place using dissolvable screws. Most of the surgery, except for the harvest of the new ligament, is done through the arthroscope. At the same time as the ligament reconstruction, we have a look around your knee and address other problems at the same time, such as cartilage tears.

Care of your knee after the surgery

At the end of the operation, I usually put freezing into the knee joint and the incisions. This usually makes it feel better for a few hours afterwards, but after a few hours your knee will get more sore. Before it starts to hurt, start taking the pain medications that are prescribed for you, and you can add an anti-inflammatory like Advil or Aleve to this. The worst pain is in the first day or two, and it usually gets a lot better after this.

Elevate your leg frequently in the first few days after surgery. Ice packs or an ice machine are also very helpful for the first few days after surgery to reduce pain and swelling. Ice machines are available at:

Campbell River Health & Drugs    /    465 Merecroft Road (250-286-1771 ph).

Pharmasave Willow Point / 101 - 2276 S. Island Highway (250-923-7311 ph).

There are a number of small incisions, all of which are closed with dissolvable sutures, so there are no sutures to come out.

It can be quite normal for there to be blood on your dressings. If they get wet, either from blood or cleaning, you can change the white Mepore bandages, and the gauze and tensor bandage, but leave the Steri-Strips on your skin alone.

You can have a shower after 48 hours from your surgery, but do not get the wounds soaked in a bath until two weeks.

Your knee will be in a Velcro splint after the surgery. You can take the splint off to move your knee gently, but it should be on most of the time, including sleeping. The splint is there for two reasons. The first is to keep your knee from getting stuck in a bent position, and the second is that your quads muscles are usually weak for a while after and can give way without support.

You will be given crutches afterwards. You can touch your foot down for balance, but don't take your full weight on the leg. Probably both the crutches and the splint can be discontinued after two weeks, but I will usually see you before then to make sure this is okay.

It is important to try and get your knee to fully straighten afterwards. You can work on this, and as well gently bend the knee. You will need to go to physiotherapy as an outpatient, and I will give you a prescription for this at your two week appointment if you are ready.