Article
ACL TightRope® Implant Scientific Update
Read Article
View Post
Watch Video
Learn about a minimally invasive procedure that could help save your torn ACL and get you back to doing what you love.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) provides stability to the knee and supports you while you play sports, grocery shop, or take a walk. Injuries to this ligament are common and can be the result of pivoting quickly, landing awkwardly, or stopping suddenly.1
If you have injured your ACL, you will most likely need surgery. A procedure that preserves and reattaches the torn ligament may be the right option for you. If the ligament cannot be repaired, minimally invasive ACL reconstruction would likely be necessary.
A new innovative procedure is available to repair the torn ACL by reattaching it back to the bone. For tears that can be repaired, this minimally invasive option can get you back faster to activities and sports2 with a more normal-feeling knee.3,4
Historically, ACL tears have primarily been treated with a reconstruction procedure. During this surgery, the damaged ligament is removed and tissue from another part of the knee or donor tissue is used to recreate the ligament.
.webp)
.webp)
Not all ACL tears can be repaired. Tear location plays a big role in determining whether an ACL should be repaired or reconstructed.
Other factors that determine if an ACL can be repaired include the quality of the remaining tissue, when the injury occurred, patient age, and activity level.
.webp)
During ACL repair, no tissue is taken from your knee and no large sockets are drilled into your bones—your own tissue is reattached to the bone. If your ACL can’t be repaired, your surgeon will likely perform a reconstruction.
Preserves your own anatomy, resulting in less injury to your body
Smaller incisions, no large sockets drilled into the bone, and no tissue removed from another part of your leg
Less short-term postoperative pain and fewer prescribed narcotics7
Reduced risk of complications (eg, postoperative infections, graft complications, knee stiffness)8
Earlier return to sport and activity2
Average recovery time for ACL repair is less than the average recovery time for ACL reconstruction2,9
Not all patients will be a candidate for the procedure due to tissue quality and where the tear is located, along with other factors, and only your surgeon can determine the most appropriate treatment
As with other sports medicine procedures, patient age, activity level, and everyday demand on the knee are taken into consideration prior to surgery; speak to your surgeon to see if ACL repair might be right for you
ACL repair is an innovative procedure that not all sports medicine surgeons perform
Connect with a surgeon who understands the range of treatments for ACL injuries.
During ACL reconstruction, all of your damaged ligament is removed from your knee and replaced with a graft. Usually, a graft is harvested from a tendon in your leg, which is called an autograft, or donor tissue, which is called an allograft. The most common grafts for ACL reconstruction are from the quadriceps, patellar, or hamstring tendon.
After the graft is harvested, it is placed into tunnels that are drilled into your bone and secured with screws, buttons, or suture.
Traditionally accepted treatment for ACL injuries10
Reliable procedure with consistent outcomes 11,12
Long-term clinical data shows successful patient results 12-14
Bone-preserving technique that is less invasive than alternative reconstruction techniques, reducing the number of tunnels needed and resulting in less pain and morbidity11,15-17
Sockets must be created in your bone to insert the graft
Your existing ACL is removed and reconstructed with a graft
If using an autograft, your body must also heal the graft-harvest site
Longer return to sport, activity, and school compared to ACL repair2
Connect with a surgeon who understands the range of treatments for ACL injuries.
When she tore her ACL, the active runner thought she would be on a long road to recovery. With the help of her surgeon, Gregory S. DiFelice, MD (New York, NY), and an innovative ACL primary repair using the InternalBrace technique, Ellen has returned to her active lifestyle.
“This recovery for my repair on my ACL was completely different—like worlds different—from my ACL reconstruction on my other knee. With every new feat I’ve accomplished I’ve been surprised by the results, surprised by the lack of pain, and surprised by the ability of how quickly I’ve been able to do it.”
"Repairing the ligament, vs a traditional reconstruction, preserves the original neural fibers and minimizes the amount of time it takes athletes to re-establish the connection between their knee and their brain. It could take them anywhere from 18 to 24 months to recalibrate their map and define a new pattern of movement return to sport. Some people can never do it. Anything we can do to preserve the normal anatomy is potentially beneficial. Results of my ACL repair procedures have shown it to be less painful and allow for earlier functional recovery than conventional ACL reconstruction."
“The goal of modern ACL reconstruction is to basically replace the ligament. We place a graft where the ligament used to sit and place it into little holes in the bone (tunnels). In ACL repair, there are no grafts, there are no tunnels; we’re using your native tissue and simply reattaching it to the bone. We have quite a number of publications out there showing that patients are doing well, the complication rates are lower, and the recoveries are faster. Everybody’s game is important to them and that’s why we do what we do. We help people get back in the game and enjoy their lives.”
Don't wait to get back on the move—find an experienced surgeon today.
Surgeons performing ACL procedures have been trained in minimally invasive knee surgery.
.webp)
A tear in which the ligament is cleanly detached from the bone with good tissue quality is ideal for repair.
A tear in which the ligament is ripped in half, leaving string-like fibers, most likely cannot be repaired. In these cases, reconstruction is necessary.5
