Acl Reconstruction With Internal Bracing

ACL is an important soft tissue structure inside the knee joint. It is a thick cord-like structure. Its function is to stabilise the knee joint by connecting between thigh bone (femur) and leg bone (tibia).

Three bones meet to form your knee joint: the femur (thighbone), the tibia (shinbone), and the patella (kneecap). The kneecap sits in front of the joint to provide some protection.

Bones are connected to other bones by ligaments. There are four primary ligaments in your knee. They act like strong ropes to hold the bones together and keep your knee stable.
ACL is frequently torn by twisting injury to the knee during sports activity and by being hit onto knee from falls.

A completely torn ACL cannot heal on its own. In athletes and other people of any age who wish to continue doing physically demanding activity, ACL reconstruction surgery is needed.

Complete ACL tears are treated through key-hole surgery (Arthroscopy) via small incisions using a combination of fibre optics and small instruments. In ACL reconstruction surgery, the torn ligament is replaced with a tissue graft, which will mimic the natural ACL. A portion of patient’s own tendon (patellar, hamstring, or quadriceps) is used to make a new ACL. A tunnel is drilled into both the tibia and femur. The graft is threaded across the knee and secured in place by using screws, buttons, staples or sutures. This restores the stability to the knee joint.

The InternalBrace is the future of ligament repair because it is a painless addition to any ligament repair or augmentation which protects it during the crucial period of healing and remodelling. It therefore allows immediate mobilisation which is not possible with standard reconstruction. Research is also showing much better long term injury free outcomes compared to traditional reconstruction surgery.

The beauty of the InternalBrace as a repair mechanism is that it harnesses the body’s natural recuperative powers. Surgery can happen as quickly as possible after the injury, (unlike in a traditional reconstruction where you may be asked to wait for the joint to settle down), and ACL InternalBrace patients are encouraged to mobilise immediately after surgery, meaning there is no period of incapacitation. InternalBrace surgery is also indicated for revision surgery or chronic long-term injuries.

While the patient is gradually increasing the intensity and duration of exercise following surgery, the ligament/tendon grows through the lattice structure of the InternalBrace which acts as a scaffold, supporting the regeneration and healing of the injured tissue.

Advantages

Enhanced Regeneration And Healing

Internal Bracing and repair has an excellent rate of success when compared with conventional surgery - it minimises further injury to the joint

Faster Return to Work & Sport

Because of the unique properties of Internal Bracing there is very little loss of function and patients are able to return to work and sport dramatically faster

Stronger And More Stable

The addition of an Internal Brace means that a damaged joint can actually be stronger after surgery as it continues to act as an internal seatbelt

Minimising Joint Arthritis

Conventional reconstruction has an unacceptably high association with arthritis, with the Internal Brace we are attempting to minimise this complication