ACL Reconstruction
What is ACL Reconstruction?
ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) reconstruction is a surgical procedure to replace a torn ACL in the knee, a key ligament that stabilizes the joint, often injured during sports or trauma. It restores knee stability and function. In India, ACL reconstruction is performed in orthopedic departments at hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, and AIIMS, often at affordable costs. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) is essential for patients.
Why do you need ACL Reconstruction?
ACL reconstruction is indicated for:
- Complete ACL tear:
- Instability: Knee “giving way” during activities (e.g., pivoting, jumping).
- Sports injuries: Common in football, basketball, or skiing.
- Failed non-surgical treatment:
- Persistent instability despite physiotherapy or bracing.
- Associated injuries:
- Meniscal tears, MCL injuries, or cartilage damage (often repaired simultaneously).
- Active individuals:
- Athletes or those needing knee stability for daily activities.
The procedure aims to restore knee stability by replacing the torn ACL with a graft (autograft or allograft), allowing return to sports and normal function.
Why Do ACL Reconstruction Costs Vary in India?
Costs range from ₹80,000 to ₹2.5 lakh :
- Procedure Type: Hamstring autograft (₹80,000–₹1.5 lakh); BPTB graft or combined repairs (₹1.5–2.5 lakh).
- Hospital/Location: Higher in metro cities (Apollo, Fortis); lower in government hospitals (AIIMS, ₹20,000–₹50,000; often subsidized under schemes like Ayushman Bharat).
- Surgeon’s Expertise: Experienced orthopedic surgeons charge more.
- Additional Costs: Anesthesia (₹5,000–₹15,000), hospital stay (₹5,000–₹15,000/day), graft fixation devices (₹10,000–₹20,000), physiotherapy (₹10,000–₹30,000 for 3–6 months).
- Insurance: Covered for functional necessity; confirm with your provider.
ACL Reconstruction Procedure
- Before Surgery Evaluation:
- Diagnosis:
- Physical exam: Lachman test, anterior drawer test to confirm ACL tear.
- MRI: Assesses ACL tear, meniscus, and cartilage damage.
- X-ray: Rules out fractures.
- Blood tests: Blood sugar, clotting profile.
- Medications: Stop blood thinners (e.g., aspirin) 5–7 days prior if safe.
- Consent: Risks, including graft failure, are explained.
- Diagnosis:
- Surgical Techniques:
- ACL Reconstruction:
- Performed under general or spinal anesthesia, lasting 1–2 hours.
- Arthroscopy: Small incisions for a camera (arthroscope) and instruments.
- Graft harvest:
- Autograft (patient’s tissue): Hamstring tendon or patellar tendon (bone-patellar tendon-bone, BPTB).
- Allograft (donor tissue): Less common in India due to availability.
- Tunnels are drilled in the femur and tibia to anchor the graft in the ACL’s anatomic position.
- The graft is secured with screws, buttons, or other fixation devices.
- Meniscal or cartilage repairs may be done simultaneously.
- Intraoperative Tools:
- Arthroscope: Visualizes the knee joint.
- Drill guides: Create bone tunnels.
- Fixation devices: Secure the graft.
- ACL Reconstruction:
- After Surgery:
- Hospital stay: 1–2 days.
- Knee care: Ice packs, compression bandage, and elevation to reduce swelling.
- Pain management: Analgesics (e.g., paracetamol, tramadol) for 5–7 days.
- Instructions: Use crutches for 2–4 weeks, start physiotherapy within 1–2 days, avoid weight-bearing initially.
Recovery After ACL Reconstruction
- Hospital Stay: 1–2 days.
- Post-Surgery Care:
- Pain/Swelling: Peaks at 3–5 days; ice and elevation help; resolves in 2–3 weeks.
- Mobility: Crutches for 2–4 weeks; partial weight-bearing starts at 1–2 weeks.
- Physiotherapy: Begins day 1–2; focuses on range of motion (0–90° by 2 weeks), strengthening, and proprioception; continues for 6–12 months.
- Knee brace: Worn for 4–6 weeks to protect graft.
- Activity: Avoid pivoting sports for 9–12 months; normal walking in 2–3 months.
- Follow-Up:
- Visits at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year to monitor healing and strength.
- Functional tests: At 6–9 months to assess return to sports.
Most resume normal activities in 3–6 months; full recovery (sports) takes 9–12 months. Success rate: 90–95% achieve knee stability; 80–85% return to pre-injury sports level.
Risks and Complications
Surgical Risks:
- Infection (1–2%): Superficial or deep; treated with antibiotics, may need debridement.
- Bleeding (1–3%): Hematoma in knee; may need drainage.
- Nerve injury (<1%): Numbness around incision (saphenous nerve); usually temporary.
Post-Surgery:
- Graft failure (5–10%): Re-rupture due to early return to sports or poor rehab; may need revision surgery.
- Stiffness (5–10%): Limited range of motion; managed with aggressive physiotherapy.
- Anterior knee pain (10–20%, BPTB graft): At patellar tendon site; usually resolves in 6–12 months.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT, 1–3%): Blood clot in leg; prevented with early mobilization, managed with blood thinners.
Long-Term:
- Osteoarthritis (10–20% over 10 years): Higher risk post-ACL injury; rehab and weight management help.
- Muscle weakness (5–10%): Persistent quadriceps/hamstring weakness; needs prolonged rehab.
Report severe pain, swelling, fever, or calf pain (possible DVT) promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What causes an ACL tear?
Sudden twisting, pivoting, or direct trauma (e.g., sports, accidents); common in high-impact activities.
Can I avoid ACL reconstruction?
Yes, if low activity level: Physiotherapy, bracing for stability; surgery is for active individuals or persistent instability.
Is ACL reconstruction painful?
Moderate pain for 3–7 days post-surgery, managed with medication; discomfort reduces in 2–3 weeks.
How soon can I resume activities?
Walking (with crutches): 1–2 weeks; normal walking: 2–3 months; sports: 9–12 months.
Is ACL reconstruction covered by insurance in India?
Yes, for functional necessity; confirm with your provider.
Signs of complications?
Severe pain, swelling, fever, or calf pain (possible DVT).
Can I return to sports after surgery?
Yes, 80–85% return to pre-injury level by 9–12 months with proper rehab; risk of re-injury remains (5–10%).
Lifestyle changes post-surgery?
Follow physiotherapy, avoid pivoting sports for 9–12 months, maintain healthy weight, and attend follow-ups.
Conclusion
ACL reconstruction is a reliable procedure to restore knee stability and function, with a high success rate for active individuals. India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, AIIMS) provide affordable, expert care, typically covered by insurance. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs helps patients approach surgery confidently. Consult an orthopedic surgeon for personalized guidance and optimal outcomes.
Looking for Best Hospitals for ACL Reconstruction
Note: we are not promoting any hospitals
we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)
- click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
| City | Minimum Price (₹) | Maximum Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
Agra |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Ahmedabad |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Ajmer |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Aligarh |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Allahabad |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Amritsar |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Aurangabad |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Bangalore |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Bareilly |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Belgaum |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Bhopal |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Bikaner |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Chandigarh |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Chennai |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Coimbatore |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Dehradun |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Delhi |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Dhanbad |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Durgapur |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Faridabad |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Ghaziabad |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Gorakhpur |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Guntur |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Gurgaon |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Guwahati |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Gwalior |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Hyderabad |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Indore |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Jabalpur |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Jaipur |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Jalandhar |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Jamshedpur |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Jodhpur |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Kanpur |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Kochi |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Kolkata |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Kollam |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Lucknow |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Ludhiana |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Madurai |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Mangalore |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Meerut |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Moradabad |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Mumbai |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Mysore |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Nagpur |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Nashik |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Noida |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Patna |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Pune |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Raipur |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Rajkot |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Ranchi |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Surat |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Thane |
1,20,000 |
3,00,000 |
Vadodara |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Varanasi |
1,00,000 |
2,80,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
1,10,000 |
2,90,000 |
Disclaimer
This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.