Ligament reconstruction is a kind of surgery performed in order to fix the torn ligament that occurred mostly during a sport or a tough physical activity as it is very common. The torn ligament is removed and is replaced with a donor ligament to repair the damaged ligament. The surgery is not complicated as a few incisions are made to the damaged area and after the surgery, the patient is free to go home following a few hours of post-operative care.
However, the best tip to get the right treatment is finding the right person for the right job. To trace the best surgeon in town, you can consult family or friends. For more convenient and personalized decision making you can look for a surgeon online because now you can find the best joint replacement surgery in Pakistan.
The goal of the surgery
The goal of this surgery is to restore the ligament to its original health and functionality just the way it was before the tendon tear and prevent any further injury to the tendon and the whole knee.
It may not be compulsory to get surgery because not all tendon tears are severe enough for surgery.
Surgery can be performed if the ACL is torn and the knee is unstable, the rehab was not successful and wasn’t able to restore the tear, athletes with careers on the line can go through surgery.
The surgical procedure
Basically, the doctor removes the damaged ligament and replaces it with a deceased person’s donated ligament. This surgery allows the patient to regain mobility and tough movements so the person can go back to their normal activities without any pain or trouble.
Arthroscopic surgery is performed for the ligament replacement. Arthroscopic surgery is a tiny camera that can be inserted in the body to see what is going on inside. The entire surgery can be viewed through a display. The camera is inserted by cutting a small opening into the body; the opening is not very large in size and will heal within a few days.
When the torn ligament is removed, another tendon is taken from your body or a deceased donor and is replaced with the previous torn ligament and this placement of the tendon is called a graft.
The graft is placed in as the doctor drills two holes into the bone, one above the bone and one under it. The screws are fitted and the graft is fixed into place. Overtime the ligament grows and fully recovers.
The patient needs braces on the legs to hold them up as they can’t push pressure on their leg after the surgery.
Other surgeries are still under research like the Bridge-Enhanced ACL Repair also known as BEAR. This surgery doesn’t need to remove the damaged ligament, it fixes the broken ligament a sponge is placed in the broken ligament and your blood is injected on to it and this sponge helps the ligament recover.
Risks involved in the surgery
Joint replacement surgery in Pakistan is quite safe but a few complications can occur. Complications like an infection in the incision, damage to nerves and blood vessels and blood clotting in the leg are some of the uncommon issues that can be faced during surgery.
If the surgeon is experienced the complications will be minimum.
After Surgery
After the surgery, the patient does not spend a night at the hospital. The patient might feel tired and uneasy for a number of days. The knee might get swollen after the surgery and the cuts for the surgery might irritate the patient. In this case, pain killers can be taken and the swollen area can be iced. The swelling only lasts a few days and movements become easier. The incisions should be kept clean with an anti-bacterial so the cut cannot get infected.
The pain might go away in a few days but total recovery can take years after rehabilitation, only after total recovery an athlete can go back to playing their desired sport. The recovery period for everyone is different as your diet and age can affect it.
The success rate of surgery
Depending on the severity of the tear the success can vary as minor tears are mostly successful but severe injuries require multiple surgeries and even after a number of surgeries the 100% recovery is not easy to achieve in severe cases.
A lot of patients give positive feedback and the device surgically placed in the knee can last over a decade.
A lot of surveys show 80% success rate in most cases of knee replacement surgeries even if the surgery is not a 100% success it does relieve the patient of the pain in they were before the surgery and further surgeries can make it better and close to total recovery.
Recovery
The patient is sent back after the surgery, and once the patient wakes up from anesthesia they get equipped with a knee brace or splint, the patient will likely practice walking on crutches.
Resting is a part of recovery, in this period of resting the patient will ice their swelling and take medications prescribed by their doctor.
After the patient is able to stand on their feet without pain, they may start physical exercises for their rehabilitation.
The doctor will guide the patient to a physical therapist that will help the patients with multiple exercises that will slowly help the patient get to their original health.
The patient will take the prescribed medicines. After the surgery, the patient will most likely be on some pain medication. The medication may contain vitamins that will boost the healing process.
The patient should get enough sleep as the body repairs tissues while we sleep and promotes healing, so the patient should get at least eight hours of quality nightly sleep. Using natural sleeping method is healthier than taking a sleeping pill.
Cost of Joint Replacement Surgery in Pakistan
Joint replacement surgery in Pakistan is not very budget-friendly as the cost can vary from the standard of the hospital the patient gets surgery from.
The cost can range from PKR 400,000 and above. Rehab and physical therapist and medication will cost extra.