ACL reconstruction surgery usually take between one to two hours depending on associated injuries. Patients are usually under general anaesthetic or have an epidural.
During the surgery, your surgeon will examine your knee to establish the extent of the damage. The ACL reconstruction will involve removing the remainder of the torn tissue and taking tissue from another part of your body to recreate the torn ACL. In some instances, if the ACL is repairable, a primary repair is done.
Prior to surgery, it is recommended that the patients goes through pre-ACL reconstruction rehabilitation with a dedicated physiotherapy programme to achieve a good range of knee motion prior to receiving surgery which helps shorten recovery time and prevents the development of scar tissue in the knee.
The recovery period after an ACL reconstruction depends on multiple factors, such as your age, fitness level and associated injuries. However, most patients are able to leave the hospital the same day.
It’s safe to put weight on your leg as soon as you’re able to get up, but you’ll need to use crutches to start with. It usually takes about two weeks before you can walk without crutches and fully bend your knee.
Your physiotherapist will give you some exercises to do while you recover. Initially, you will need to rest your leg and keep it elevated as much as you can.
You should be able to return to work four to six weeks after the operation if you have a desk job. Those with more physical jobs will need a longer recovery time.
It usually takes six months to make a full recovery and return to sports.
Our dedicated recovery team of specialist orthopaedic nurses and physiotherapists will work with you closely to ensure you build strength and mobility as quickly as possible.
Below is an outline of our self-pay hospital package which includes tests, hospital stay and procedure. Please note: it does not include consultant fees, which may vary.
Hospital package from £8,070
Indicative consultant fees from £1,200
Inclusions:
- standard pre-admission tests, including electrocardiogram (ECG) and chest X-ray
- light meals
- nursing
- ward medications and dressings
- theatre procedure and anaesthetics
- inpatient physiotherapy, pathology, occupational therapy, surgical stockings and crutches
- post-op and discharge medication
Exclusions:
- overnight accommodation in a private en-suite room is provided if required, at an increased package price
- consultant consultation fee
- consultant procedure fee
- non-standard diagnostic and histology tests
- any additional costs not specified in the package inclusions
Included in the package price:
- consultant surgeon and consultant anaesthetist procedure fees
- two follow-up consultations with consultant within post-op timeframe
- pre-admission outpatient tests, which includes standard pathology and diagnostic tests (ECG & chest X-ray), if required
- recovery and accommodation which includes a stay in a private en-suite room
- ward medications, dressings, and nursing consumables
- theatre procedure, including anaesthetic drugs and theatre consumables
- theatre prosthesis
- pathology and histology, if required
- standard post–op medication issued and used during the inpatient stay
- inpatient physiotherapy and surgical stockings, if required
- discharge medication pertaining to the condition being treated by this package
- all patient meals and non-alcoholic beverages
- post-op X-rays and physiotherapy pertaining to the procedure within three months
- return to theatres within three months of the procedure date due to complication
Excluded from the package price:
- take-out supplies
- companion beds and catering for relatives / visitors
- personal expenses –telephone calls, additional catering, ambulances, etc.
If additional night’s stay, diagnostics, or other services are requested from your consultant you will not be charged in addition for these as these are included within the fixed price package.
Consultants offering this package:
When enquiring about this package please quote W7420.
