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Frequently Asked Questions

Do all ACL tears require surgery?

FAQ Knee - Howard J Luks,MD
No. Many ACL tears can be treated non-operatively. Many factors go into the decision making process. Some patients have ACL tears and no instability symptoms. Others are profoundly symptomatic, even with simple stair climbing, turning and twisting. We do not know why some people are more symptomatic than others, which is why surgery is not the right answer for everybody.
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Do all ACL tears need surgery?

Sports Medicine, Therapy, Rehabilitation and Surgery- Mass G...
No. Some knees function almost normally despite having a torn ACL. Good knee function is more common in patients who are over thirty years old who are relatively inactive in sports. Patients who are less than twenty-five years old, regardless of activity level, tend to have problems with instability and have frequent episodes of giving way. Therefore, surgical reconstruction of a torn ACL is usually recommended for patients who are less than age twenty-five years.
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How common is ACL injury and the surgery for ACL tears?

Frequently Asked Questions
Anterior cruciate ligament is one of the commonest knee injuries in sports and day-to-day life. It is estimated that around 1,00,000 to 2,00,000 ACL injuries occur per year in United States and roughly around 70,000 ACL reconstructions are performed.
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Do all meniscus tears require surgery?

FAQ Knee - Howard J Luks,MD
No. Many degenerative or attritional tears can be managed non-operatively and allow you to return to your "normal" lifestyle.
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How are ACL tears diagnosed?

injuryupdate.com.au - Australia's best information source fo...
Most ACL tears can be detected by experienced examiners as the knee joint will undergo abnormal movements when stressed. There is a variation in the normal range of these tests so the amount of movement is compared to the other knee. Sometimes these tests can be inconclusive immediately after an injury, due to excessive swelling.
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Can ACL tears or recurrences be prevented?

injuryupdate.com.au - Australia's best information source fo...
ACL injury is associated with multidirectional sport (football, basketball, netball and skiing particularly), so refraining from these sports is a way to prevent injury, but often not acceptable to athletes. The mechanism of injury is often getting the foot caught in the ground while the body moves in another direction. In football, wearing boots with shorter stops helps prevent the foot getting caught in the turf. In all sports, a stabilising knee brace may offer some protection.
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What other knee structures can be injured when the ACL tears?

Sports Medicine, Therapy, Rehabilitation and Surgery- Mass G...
There are two types of cartilage in the knee. One type of fibrous cartilage is called the meniscus. Each knee has two crescent shaped menisci that act as a shock absorbers between the femur and tibia. There is a medial (inner) and lateral (outer) meniscus. The menisci are attached to the tibia. The ACL prevents excessive forward tibial motion at the knee joint. When the ACL tears, the knee can partially dislocate (subluxate).
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Is it a must to have reconstruction surgery for ACL tear?

Frequently Asked Questions
ACL tears do not have the capacity to heal by themselves. This is because of the poor blood supply and the presence of joint fluid. Similarly the torn edges of the ligament cannot be sutured together, as this procedure has very high failure rates and has been given up. The ideal way to get back the function of ACL is to have reconstrucion of ACL. Even though patient can manage activities like walking climbing stairs, without ACL.
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If my ACL is torn, should I have surgery to repair it?

injuryupdate.com.au - Australia's best information source fo...
a general rule, the body cannot repair a torn ACL if the tear is complete. Partial tears may sometimes heal but often will progress to becoming complete tears. If surgery is needed, the surgeon will not repair the ligament directly, as this has a low success rate, but will instead use a nearby tendon to reconstruct the original ligament. Your future demands in multi-directional sport.
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How invasive is ACL surgery?

Dr. Prodromos - Chicago (Glenview) orthopedic - knee shoulde...
Dr. Prodromos has developed a mini-incision, primarily arthroscopic technique that produces excellent results. The procedure takes roughly 90 minutes and patients go home on the day of surgery.
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How reliable is ACL reconstruction surgery?

Dr. Prodromos - Chicago (Glenview) orthopedic - knee shoulde...
Dr. Prodromos recently completed a long-term follow-up study of over 200 of his ACL reconstruction patients. There were no instances of graft failure in this study.
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What kind of surgery would I have if I damaged the ACL?

Frequently Asked Questions -- C. Thomas Vangsness, Jr., M.D....
The damaged ACL cannot be sewn back together as it will not heal. A torn ACL will require a reconstructive procedure using transplantable tendons from your body (autografts) such as the hamstring, bone-patella-tendon-bone (BTB) or quadriceps tendons, to reconstruct this torn ligament. Allograft (tissue bank cadaver tissue) tissue is often used with less pain to you and earlier return to function. Both autograft and allograft tendons are acceptable to use for ACL reconstructions.
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Do I need to have surgery on my ACL?

Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. Some people are able to function normally without surgery, so long as they have physiotherapy, but others need reconstructive surgery no matter how much physiotherapy they have. Whether or not you have your ACL reconstructed also depends on how active you are, and how your injury impacts on your daily and sporting activities.
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When should surgery be performed for a torn ACL?

Sports Medicine, Therapy, Rehabilitation and Surgery- Mass G...
It is best to wait for the pain and swelling to subside and to allow associated injuries to heal before performing surgery for the ACL. If surgery is done too soon after injury, rehabilitation is difficult. The knee may get stiff and have permanent loss of motion. The athlete will usually get back to sports much more quickly if the knee is allowed to recover from initial injury and to regain its full painless range of motion (usually at least six weeks) before performing surgery.
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Why are ACL tears considered serious?

Dr. Tabet
I see in the newspaper there are ads for a specialty orthopedic hospital in our community now. If I go ahead and have my knee replaced, is there any advantage to going to such a place? My regular doctor just uses the local hospital.
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Do all rotator cuff tears need surgery?

Frequently Asked Questions
No. Degenerative Rotator cuff tears, which develop gradually, are part of aging process. Many tears remain asymptomatic. Rehabilitation will result in good range of movement and pain improvement. But the strength will not improve. On the other hand, large cuff tears, profound weakness and an acute traumatic event causing the tear will give bad results if treated non-operatively. The surgeon will consider all these factors and will suggest the appropriate treatment for each patient.
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How Are ACL Tears Treated Surgically?

ACL Tears-Surgery or Not? - Bootcamp Buddies - Weight Watche...
Many different surgical approaches have been tried for the ACL injured knee. Years of experience have shown that simply stitching the ligament together is rarely successful. Therefore, current techniques involve reconstructing the ACL by building a new ligament out of tissue harvested from one of the other tendons around the knee or from a cadaver. This tissue is passed through drill holes in the thigh bone and shin bone, and then anchored in place to create a new ACL.
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I've heard a lot about ACL tears in the knee. Are PCL tears just as bad?

Patient Education • Panorama Orthopedics & Spine C...
Before having a total knee replacement, my doctor insists that I go to physical therapy. This is called preoperative treatment. Why is this necessary? I'm really ready for the operation. What is a bone bruise? After a car accident that dislocated my hip, I found out I also had a bone bruise around my knee. I'm 62 years old and have very bad knees from arthritis. I make my living cleaning other people's houses.
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Can I manage my ACL tear without surgery, by means of medicine or massage or exercises?

Frequently Asked Questions
ACL healing cannot be achieved by any internal medicine or external oil massage. Similar attempts to compensate the ACL deficiency by exercising the muscles have also been futile. The dynamic stability offered by the muscle cannot compensate the static stability afforded by the ACL.
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My dog has bad hips and a torn ACL. Should I proceed with surgery?

Frequently Asked Questions about knee surgery
Absolutely. The hips are rarely the cause of acute limping. If the ACLs are torn, your pet is only going to get worse.
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Do all stones require surgery?

KidneyStones.org
No. There are several variables, which affect a person's ability to completely pass a kidney stone. Some stones can pass spontaneously without medical or surgical intervention. The size and the location of the stone are factors that may effect whether a stone will pass spontaneously. Stones that are smaller than 4 mm have a 40-fold greater chance of passing spontaneously than for stones larger than 6 mm, regardless of the location of the stone.
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Do all injuries require surgery?

Athletes and Knee injuries
No (Chhabra, et. al. page 217). Depending on the degree of injury, the structure injured, and the patients probable future activity level surgery may or may not be beneficial. For instance there are many people, even competitive athletes, that return to their normal pre-injury activity level with a complete ACL tear and no reconstructive surgery.
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What if a hook tears out?

Suspension FAQ
Hooks rarely tear out BUT in the event that one does or if the skin is torn, it is best to have a suture kit on hand to sew the wound shut.
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What is a torn ACL?

Phoenix Orthopedic Evaluation Arizona Treatment Consultation...
The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is a ligament in the center of your knee. The ACL gets damaged when twisted too far, which makes it a common injury in relation to sports or other physical activity. ACL Reconstruction is performed using a combination of open surgery and arthroscopic surgery. Before ACL reconstruction process begins, your surgeon will examine your knee arthroscopically, and repair any additional damage to the knee, such as a torn meniscus, or worn articular cartilage.
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What is an ACL tear?

FAQ Knee - Howard J Luks,MD
The ACL is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. There are more than 4 major ligaments that essentially hold the knee together. Without one of more of these ligaments the knee would be loose and you would perceive that the knee was giving way or buckling. The ACL is the most commonly torn knee ligament. The ACL is usually torn as the result of a non-contact twisting injury. You will usually feel or hear a pop, the knee will buckle and within a short period of time, significant swelling will occur.
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Sports Medicine, Therapy, Rehabilitation and Surgery- Mass G...
The most common mechanism is a combination of a sudden stopping motion on the leg while quickly twisting at the knee. The planted foot remains stationary while the body rotates toward the opposite side of the body. This can happen in a sport such as basketball, when a player lands on the leg when coming down from a rebound or is running down the court and makes an abrupt stop to pivot. In football, soccer, or lacrosse, cleats prevent the foot from slipping during this motion.
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For more information, see: Should I have surgery for an ACL injury?

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries
Recovery from an ACL injury varies with each individual. Your treatment should continue until your knee is stable and strong, not for a certain length of time. ACL injuries in children and teens are less common than in adults, but they do occur, especially in teens. An untreated or unsuccessfully treated ACL injury in children or teens may result in future knee problems. The knee may become more and more unstable and, over time, osteoarthritis may develop.
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Q:If surgery is recommended, do I require hysterectomy?

IVPCARE Reproductive Health Pharmacy | Fibroids FAQ
Usually not. Most women that require surgery can have fibroids removed with preservation of the uterus, tubes, and ovaries. If fertility is the major issue the uterus is not removed.
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What is the ACL?

FAQ - What is the ACL ?
There are two large ligaments inside your knee each about the size of your little finger that cross deep inside the joint. They are called the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) and go from the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone). They serve to stabilize the knee and allow it to glide through a smooth range of motion as you bend and straighten the leg. The ACL is the ligament in the front and the one most commonly injured.
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Will I require additional treatment after surgery for removal of the prostate gland?

Frequently Asked Questions
If prostatectomy was for prostate cancer and all the cancer cells were located within the prostate gland, then your cancer is cured. However, because it sometimes is difficult to tell if cancer has spread, some men may need treatment for a recurrence of cancer. If prostatectomy was a treatment for prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia), about 10 percent of men will require additional surgery because of complications arising from the prostatectomy.
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