Cruciate ligaments :

Possible damage to reconstructed ACL? - - Posted by FunkyWalker (FunkyWalker), 24 January 2005

I'm about 18 weeks post-op on an ACL reconstruction and yesterday I had a bit of an accident.

I was walking to my car in a parking lot and had most of my weight on my good leg when it slipped out from under me.  As a result my repaired leg tried to take the weight but ended up slipping as well and buckling.  I felt a bit of a crunch/pop in the knee and was in a fair amount of pain right afterwards.   There's been a significant amount of swelling and stiffness since, but the pain isn't really a factor.  I also feel a crunching just under the right side of the kneecap when I fully extend my leg.   In general, I just feel like the joint is weak.  It actually feels very similar to when I first tore the ACL.

My questions are:
- how easy is it to damage the repaired ligament this long after surgery?
- Has anyone else damaged their repair and if so, what were the symptoms in terms of swelling, pain, mobility, stability etc.?

I'm going to make an appointment with my Doctor but was hoping someone could give me some feedback in the meantime.

Thanks!

Funky
Posted by Gab (Gab), 25 January 2005

Hi, first of all I'm sorry about your fall. I know how you must feel. I had a similar accident except that my bad leg eventually over flexed. I was REALLY worried that I had blown or damaged the graft as it was around 3 months post surgery (the time at which the graft is at its weakest point), I made an apointment with my OS and my ACL was totally solid in there. My point is that the graft is not 'that' easy to blow.

You made the right move to go see the doctor right away, good luck and let us know.
Posted by FunkyWalker (FunkyWalker), 25 January 2005

Thanks for the reassurance Gab.   Knowing someone else has had a similar experience with a good outcome is nice to hear.  I'll keep you posted (fingers crossed  

Funky
Posted by babs (babs), 25 January 2005

Hi Funky,

My son has ruptured his ACL just a few months after the graft (hamstring). He will have a revision on 10th Feb (patella tendon).

When the injury occured he felt considerably less pain than when it went the first time and didn't experience the 'pop'. The pain he did experience didn't last long and although he was put straight on to crutches and given a brace he felt he didn't really need them. The swelling was minimal.
He was given an MRI scan on the same day as injury and the results were that the ACL was intact (pah!)!

Mr Bickerstaff didn't trust the findings of the scan and performed a scope 6 days after injury. This proved, unfortunately,  that he had in fact ruptured his new ACL and as I have said he will have a revision on Feb 10th.

Anyway, what I am trying to say is that even if you have an MRI scan and it indicates that your ACL is intact please go back to your surgeon or at least a good physio (who can probably tell if you have damaged the ACL by the amount of flexion in your knee).

Hope all goes well for you!

Babs
Posted by FunkyWalker (FunkyWalker), 25 January 2005

Babs,

Thanks for the word of caution.  Since the original injury, I have yet to have an MRI done to determine the damage.  It's always been a physical exam by the Ortho.  I'm scheduled to see him tomorrow morning and I'm really hoping that everything is good.  I'll keep you all posted.

Funky

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