KNEE PROCEDURES
MULTI-LIGAMENT SURGERY
Multi-ligament surgery involves replacing injured ligaments with new ligaments that are constructed from the patient’s own tissue, called an autograft, or from donor tissue, called an allograft. A multi-ligament injury occurs when two or more ligaments are in the knee and may be due to a rigorous blow or trauma to the knee of considerable force.
Other structures of the knee may also be damaged, like the meniscus, thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), the kneecap (patella), the inner surface of the knee joint (costochondral cartilage), and the surrounding soft tissues.
There are different-different types of multi-ligament injuries due to a combination of ligaments and other structures that may be damaged. These injuries may include:
- Dislocated knee This is a severe rupture to most of the ligaments in the knee joint.
- O’Donoghue’s triad (unhappy triad) This is an injury of the anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and meniscus.
- Postero-lateral rotatory instability injury This is damage to the structures that are towards the back and outside of the knee, like the posterior cruciate ligament, lateral collateral ligament and popliteus muscle.
When is multi-ligament surgery indicated?
People with multi-ligament injuries should be aware that these ligaments lack their own blood supply; therefore, surgical intervention may be recommended. However, if there is minimal ligament damage, conservative treatment may be adequate in alleviating your symptoms. Multi-ligament surgery is also recommended for moderate to severe knee ligament damage or when conservative treatment has failed to alleviate symptoms. The main goal of multi-ligament surgery is to re-stabilise the knee while strengthening and restoring function to the knee joint.
What does a multi-ligament surgery entail?
Multi-ligament surgery is a complicated surgical procedure that involves the use of tissue grafts from the patient or from a donor to help repair the damaged portions of the original ligaments. During the procedure, Dr Nell will make incisions on your knee and locate the damaged tissue and ligaments. He will assess the tissue and ligaments. The orthopaedic surgeon will remove the damaged ligaments and replace them with a new ligament graft. After the procedure, the incisions will be stitched closed.
