Repair, tightening or replacing a damaged ligament can be accomplished through surgical intervention. Ligaments are connective tissues made up of collagen-rich fibrous tissue. In the joints, ligaments connect bones to each other and help keep them in place. Stability is provided by these ligaments, which reduces the risk of dislocation by limiting the amount of movement or twisting that can occur. Damage to a ligament can cause a joint to become unstable, resulting in a loss of mobility.
A sprain occurs when a ligament is stretched or torn. In most cases, rest, ice, compression, and elevation, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs, will help a sprain heal on its own. Ligament reconstruction surgery may be required if a patient has repeated sprains or if the ligament is fully torn and unable to mend on its own.
The most common ligaments that can be repaired are:
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL): The surgeon reconstructs the knee ligament in the middle, which links the thigh and the shin.
- Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL): A knee surgeon does a PCL reconstruction by re-creating the ligament that links the kneecap to the thigh.
- Lateral Ankle Ligament: Procedures known as lateral ankle ligaments secure or tighten the ligaments on the outside of the ankle, also referred to as Brostrom procedures,
- Carpometacarpal (CMC) Ligament: The CMC joint, where the thumb and trapezium bone meet in the wrist, can be affected by arthritis. To repair the torn ligament, the surgeon will use a graft taken from the wrist flexor tendon to replace the injured one.