Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
ACL reconstruction and repair, with or without the anterolateral ligament, to restore knee stability.
- What it is
- The anterior cruciate ligament controls tibial translation and rotation. Its rupture, common in pivoting and jumping sports, causes instability and increases the risk of meniscal and cartilage damage.
- When it is indicated
- It is indicated in active patients with instability, in associated meniscal injuries and in those who want to return to pivoting sports. Some low-demand patients can be treated without surgery.
- How it is performed
- The ligament is reconstructed with the patient's own graft, placed in its original anatomic position. In selected injuries the native ligament can be repaired. In cases with greater rotational laxity an anterolateral ligament reconstruction is added, a technique the doctor has published.
- Recovery
- Physiotherapy starts in the first days, with phases of motion, strength and neuromuscular control. Return to pivoting sport usually takes nine to twelve months and is cleared with functional testing, not by time alone.
- Procedures the doctor performs
- Anatomic ACL reconstruction with autograft
- ACL repair in selected injuries
- Combined ACL and anterolateral ligament reconstruction
- Revision surgery after a failed reconstruction
Other procedures
- Meniscal injuries
- Posterior cruciate ligament and multiligament injuries
- Patellar dislocation and instability
- Cartilage and osteochondral injuries
- Knee arthroscopy and stiffness
- Corrective osteotomies and joint preservation
- Knee replacement
This content is general information. It does not replace a medical assessment: every case is evaluated in consultation with physical examination and imaging.