What to expect during knee tendon and ligament repair
Knee tendon or ligament repair is often done arthroscopically, especially for common injuries like ACL tears. Arthroscopy involves making small incisions and using a tiny camera to guide the surgery, which is less invasive than traditional open surgery. However, some cases, especially more complex injuries, may require open surgery or a combination of arthroscopic and open techniques. Your surgeon will discuss your best surgical options with you.
For patellar tendon surgery or other tendon repairs:
- The surgeon reattaches the torn tendon to the bone, often using sutures threaded through small holes drilled in the bone.
- Suture anchors may be used to help keep the tendon in place.
- Sometimes, tissue grafts are needed to lengthen or replace severely damaged tendons.
For knee ligament surgery, such as ACL reconstruction:
- The torn ligament is usually replaced with a graft, either taken from the patient’s own body (autograft) or from a donor (allograft).
- The graft is secured in place using screws, buttons, or other fixation devices.