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Revision ACL Reconstruction

Although rare, some times an ACL reconstruction can fail either from a new injury or from slow stretching out of the ligament which causes knee instability. In this case, your surgeon may recommend a revision ACL reconstruction in which a different graft is selected, new tunnels are created in the thigh bone and shin bone, and a new ACL graft is constructed. Although a revision ACL reconstruction may not restore the same stability to the knee as a first-time ACL reconstruction, the goal is to provide enough stability for the patient to feel confident using the knee.

In addition, your surgeon may add an additional ligament (anterolateral ligament) reconstruction to the outside (lateral) part of the knee joint to provide even more stability to the knee.

The same rehabilitation protocol (MOON) is utilized for these cases as for a first-time ACL reconstruction, but recovery will often take longer.

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