Knee ACL replacement?

I am soon to have ACL replacement surgery. I was given 2 options: to take an implant from my own knee or from a donor. I am leaning towards using an ACL from a donor since rehab is easier and I don't need to use my own body resources.

If you had ACL repair what was your experience and did you use a donor's ACL, and what was the result?
Also, did you undergo the surgery under general or local anesthesia?

Thanks!
Alex

I had an ACL replaced. Sliding into Second Base the wrong way caused it to be severed.
I also had 1/3 of my minuscus taken out. They took 2 portions of my own bone and muscle section from my own Tibia to rebuild the ACL. Make sure they do not take it from your lower leg. That is more painful and not as effective.
The rehab was not that bad. They say that you will lose some strength in your own tibia by doing this, but I never lost any. It took a good 6-8 weeks to feel good again. I would use my own tissue to ensure that there was no rejection. I was put completely out, and I'm happy they did it. You want morphine and you should NOT overdo it when you are on the drug. Avoid Stairs at all costs and do not bend it in a swollen state. ICing after therapy is the trick too. I can play racquetball and basketball now, but I prefer to use a brace on the knee, just to be safe.

LOL u shld read my experience on general and local anesthesic

http://www.lulu.com/content/48... Report It

Both implants will work fine. There is a risk (although very small) of getting aids or an infection from a donor graft.

You're rehab will not be noticably different either way. It will still be uncomfortable and take months.

Can't do an ACL reconstruction under local. You need general anesthesia or some sort of major nerve block- most commonly an epidural or spinal.

Around here most acl reconstructions go home the same day, going home may be delayed from general anesthesia if you have a lot a nausea from it (rare).

Going home from epidural or spinal may be delayed because of waiting for the block to wear off or inability to urinate (also rare)

If you are young and healthy and active, I'd go for your own graft and general anesthesia.

You're right the pain and recovery can be less with a donor but there are higher risks of infection and your body rejecting the donor materials. On the other hand there have been hundreds if not thousands of people that have used the donor banks with no problems.

I'd suggest the local anethetic if that is an option and you are confident you can tolerate being awake for the procedure. There again you reduce the risk of having side effects from the anesthesia for 4-6 wks post surgery. I had 2 wks of post surgery recovery, 5wks of acute physio followed by three to four months of strengthening and after that I continued on my own home regime.

Good luck...it's a common procedure so you should be fine.

I had to have an ACL done and I took the donor implant. I went under general anesthesia. I woke up in some pain, but once you hit the "happy button" (morphine button lol) then it mostly subsides. I am very happy I got mine. I screwed my knee up from injuring it too often in sports. Good Luck! =)

Can you choose what graft they would use? eg. qudriceps muscle, hamstring, patellar tendon...

There can be minor differences in the results from different types of grafts, for example knee pain on kneeling if they use the patellar tendon etc.

But whathever the graft, it will all come down to who does the surgery.

Good luck with the operation!