|
|
PCL Surgery
|
PCL Surgery: The Start of the Knee Joint Recovery
After thorough examination, the degree of the damaged on the PCL would be determined. Surgical procedure for injured PCL will depend on how much is the damaged tissue in the knee. This could be a surgery for PCL Repair or PCL Reconstruction.
If it was diagnosed that there are still remaining tissues that are still of perfect shape, then repair of the PCL will be done. However, if there are tissues that were severely damaged and can no longer be repaired, a PCL reconstruction is needed to replace the damage tissues.
PCL Repair
To repair the impaired tissues, sutures are made to tie on the damaged PCL up until the site near the femur. To tie on the stitches, a fisherman’s slipknot is made. This will secure the bone to the damaged tissues. Before the patient is being brought to the recovery room, bupivacaine is injected to lessen the pain from the surgery.
A day after the surgery, dressing of the wound would be changed and the exercises that the patient can perform at home will be reviewed. Also, they would be instructed on applying RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). A knee brace will also be used for a month.
PCL Reconstruction
This will be performed if no more quality tissues are attached to the knee and were all damaged.
Steps being performed for PCL Reconstruction:
1. The torn PCL tissues are being wiped out from the knee joint.
2. Holes are being drilled to house the new tissues that would be replaced. The first hole is drilled on the tibia while the other one is drilled to the femur.
3. The bone graft, which is usually the patellar tendon is taken and attached to the holes made on the tibia and femur.
4. Screws are fixed to secure the graft on the knee joint.
5. The incisions are being closed and bupivacaine is injected to reduce the pain of the operation.
For a successful recovery, it is important to faithfully follow the rehabilitation program designed to strengthen the muscles of the knee.
Same with the PCL Repair, a day after the surgery, dressing of the wound would be changed and the exercises that the patient can perform at home will be reviewed. They would be instructed on applying RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). Crutches will also be used to prevent weight being applied to the knee joint.
During the first month of the surgery, exercises such as leg raises, ankle pumps and cycling can be performed. Swimming would also be best to build the muscles. The rehabilitation will focus on strengthening the knee so as to tolerate the hyperextension on the area. Also, little by little the weight bearing ability is being build up with resistance exercises.
The patient then will engaged in balance drills, agility and running programs. By four to six months, the patient will be able to go back to regular activities as if there never was a PCL surgery performed.
The healing of the PCL injury does not only stop during the surgery itself. It is just the beginning of the healing process. The recovery works it’s way mostly during the postoperative rehabilitation.
|
|