Key points in revision ACL surgery

Abstract

There has been a significant advance in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery at the final decades of the twentieth century. Success of arthroscopic surgical techniques has led this procedure become popular among orthopedic surgeons. The importance of primary ACL surgery is that not even the professional athletes have desire to return their career, also noncompetitive individuals have a wish of returning to their preinjury activity levels. Inadequate evaluation, improper surgical techniques may result with reinstability. Problems related with preexisting pathologies must be carefully diagnosed before a revision ligament surgery. Osseous pathologies on either side of the knee joint and accompanying soft tissue pathologies must be properly diagnosed with x-ray and MRI techniques. The period from preoperative evaluation of a reinjured knee to a stably revised knee is highly discouraging and this period must be accurately directed and tailored.