ACL reconstruction is surgery to rebuild the ligament in the center of your knee. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) keeps your shin bone (tibia) in place. A tear of this ligament can cause your knee to give way during physical activity. During the procedure autograft tissue (from your own body) or allograft  tissue (from a donor) is used to replace your damaged ACL. This procedure is typically performed arthroscopically, using a tiny camera is inserted into the knee through a small surgical cut. The camera is connected to a video monitor in the operating room. Your surgeon will use the camera to check the ligaments and other tissues of your knee. 

The torn ligament will be removed with a shaver or other instruments. If your own tissue is being used to make your new ACL, your surgeon will make a larger cut. Then, the autograft will be removed through this cut. Your surgeon will make tunnels in your bone to bring the new tissue through. This new tissue will be in the same place as your old ACL. Your surgeon will then attach the new ligament to the bone with screws or other devices to hold it in place. As it heals, the bone tunnels fill in and holds the new ligament in place. 

At the end of the surgery, your surgeon will close your cuts with sutures (stitches) and cover the area with a dressing. You may be able to view pictures after the procedure of what the doctor saw and what was done during the surgery. 

If you don’t have your ACL reconstructed, your knee may continue to be unstable. This increases the chance you may have a meniscus tear. ACL reconstruction may be used for these knee problems:  

Before surgery, talk to your doctor about the time and effort you will need to recover. You will need to follow a rehabilitation program for four to six months. Your ability to return to full activity will depend on how well you follow the program. 

Always tell your physician or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription. During the two weeks before your surgery you may be asked to stop taking drugs that make it harder for your blood to clot. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), and other drugs. Ask your physician which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.  

If you have diabetes, heart disease, or other medical conditions, your surgeon may ask you to see your doctor who treats you for these conditions. Tell your physician if you have been drinking more than one or two drinks of alcohol per day. If you smoke, try to stop. Ask your doctor for help. Smoking can slow down wound and bone healing. Always let your doctor know about any cold, flu, fever, herpes breakout, or other illness you have before your surgery.    

On the day of your surgery you will usually be asked not to drink or eat anything for six to 12 hours before the procedure. Be sure to take any medicines your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water. Your physician or physician’s office will tell you when to arrive at the hospital. 

Most people can go home the day of your surgery. You may have to wear a knee brace for the first one to four weeks. You also may need crutches for one to four weeks. Most people are allowed to move their knee right after surgery. This can help prevent stiffness. You may need medicine for your pain.​​ 

Carpal tunnel release is surgery to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is pain and weakness in the hand that is caused by pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. During the procedure  you will receive numbing medicine (anesthesia) so that you will not feel pain during surgery. You may be awake but you will also receive medicines to make you relax. The surgeon will make a small incision in the palm of your hand near your wrist. The transverse carpal ligament is then cut in order to ease the pressure on the median nerve. Sometimes, tissue around the nerve is removed as well. The skin and tissue underneath are then closed with sutures (stitches). In some cases this procedure is done arthroscopically, using a tiny camera that is attached to a monitor. The surgeon inserts the camera into your wrist through a very small surgical cut and views the monitor to see inside your wrist.   

Always tell your physician or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription. During the two weeks before your surgery you may be asked to stop taking drugs that make it harder for your blood to clot. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), and other drugs. Ask your physician which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.   

If you have diabetes, heart disease, or other medical conditions, your surgeon may a​ 

sk you to see your doctor who treats you for these conditions. Tell your physician if you have been drinking more than one or two drinks of alcohol per day. If you smoke, try to stop. Ask your doctor for help. Smoking can slow down wound and bone healing. Always let your doctor know about any cold, flu, fever, herpes breakout, or other illness you have before your surgery.    

On the day of your surgery you will usually be asked not to drink or eat anything for six to 12 hours before the procedure. Be sure to take any medicines your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water. Your physician or physician’s office will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.  

This surgery is done on an outpatient basis. You will not need to stay in the hospital. After the surgery, your wrist will likely be in a splint or heavy bandage for about a week. After the splint or bandage is removed, your physician may recommend motion exercises or a physical therapy program.​  

Rotator cuff repair is a type of surgery to repair a torn tendon in the shoulder. There are three common techniques used to repair a rotator cuff tear:   

• Open repair: surgical incision is made and a large muscle is moved out the way to do the surgery. Open repair is done for large or more complex tears. 
• Arthroscopy: the arthroscope is inserted through small incision. The scope is connected to a video monitor. This allows the surgeon to view the inside of the shoulder. One to three additional small incisions are made to allow other instruments to be inserted. 
• Mini-open repair: any damaged tissue or bone spurs are removed or repaired using an arthroscope. Then during the open part of the surgery, a two to three inch incision is made to repair the rotator cuff. 

To repair the rotator cuff, the tendons are re-attached to the bone. Small rivets (called suture anchors) are often used to help attach the tendon to the bone. The suture anchors can be made of metal or material that dissolves over time, and do not need to be removed. Sutures are attached to the anchors, which tie the tendon back to the bone. At the end of the surgery, the incisions are closed, and a dressing is applied. If arthroscopy was performed, most surgeons record or take pictures of the procedure from the video monitor to show you what they found and the repairs that were made.  

Always tell your physician or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription. During the two weeks before your surgery you may be asked to stop taking drugs that make it harder for your blood to clot. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), and other drugs. Ask your physician which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.   

If you have diabetes, heart disease, or other medical conditions, your surgeon may ask you to see your doctor who treats you for these conditions. Tell your physician if you have been drinking more than one or two drinks of alcohol per day. If you smoke, try to stop. Ask your doctor for help. Smoking can slow down wound and bone healing. Always let your doctor know about any cold, flu, fever, herpes breakout, or other illness you have before your surgery.    

On the day of your surgery you will usually be asked not to drink or eat anything for six to 12 hours before the procedure. Be sure to take any medicines your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water. Your physician or physician’s office will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.  

Surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff is usually successful in relieving pain in the shoulder, however in some cases the procedure may not return full strength to the shoulder. You will likely be wearing a sling when you leave the hospital. Some patients also wear a shoulder immobilizer. This keeps your shoulder from moving. How long you wear the sling or immobilizer will depend on the type of surgery you had.  

Recovery can take three to six months, depending on the size of the tear and other factors. You may have to wear a sling for four to six weeks after surgery. Pain is usually managed with medicines. Physical therapy can help you regain the motion and strength of your shoulder. The length of therapy will depend on the repair that was done.​  

A meniscus tear is an injury to the cartilage that stabilizes and cushions the knee joint. The type of tear often determines whether it can be repaired or not and the location of the tear will determine the type of procedure that will be used. Radial tears may be successfully repaired, depending on where they are located. Horizontal, flap, long-standing, and degenerative tears generally cannot be repaired.  

Your physician will recommend the treatment that he or she thinks will work best for you based on the zone where your tear is, the pattern of the tear, and how big it is. Your age, your health, and activity level may also affect your treatment options. In some cases, the surgeon makes the final decision during surgery, when he or she can see the how strong the meniscus is, where the tear is, and how big the tear is.  

Small tears at the outer edge of the meniscus often heal with rest and home treatment. Moderate to large tear at the outer edge of the meniscus more commonly require surgery to repair and typically heal well after surgery. A tear that spreads from the outer edge into the inner two-thirds of the meniscus can be more challenging to repair and the success of surgery is less likely. Tears to the inner meniscus are not typically done because the meniscus may not heal after surgery. In these cases a partial meniscectomy in which torn pieces of the meniscus are removed may be done to help reduce pain and swelling.   

Surgery to repair the meniscus may be done by open surgery, in which a small incision is made and the knee is opened up so that the surgeon can see inside the knee and the meniscus can be repaired. Increasingly, surgeons use arthroscopic surgery to repair the meniscus. The surgeon inserts a thin tube (arthroscope) containing a camera and a light through small incisions near the knee and is able to see inside the knee without making a large incision. Surgical instruments can be inserted through other small incisions. The surgeon repairs the meniscus using sutures (stitches) or anchors.  

Always tell your physician or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription. During the two weeks before your surgery you may be asked to stop taking drugs that make it harder for your blood to clot. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), and other drugs. Ask your physician which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.   

If you have diabetes, heart disease, or other medical conditions, your surgeon may ask you to see your doctor who treats you for these conditions. Tell your physician if you have been drinking more than one or two drinks of alcohol per day. If you smoke, try to stop. Ask your doctor for help. Smoking can slow down wound and bone healing. Always let your doctor know about any cold, flu, fever, herpes breakout, or other illness you have before your surgery.    

On the day of your surgery you will usually be asked not to drink or eat anything for six to 12 hours before the procedure. Be sure to take any medicines your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water. Your physician or physician’s office will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.  

Your physician may recommend that you do not move your knee more than absolutely necessary (immobilization) for two weeks after surgery. This may be followed by two weeks of limited motion before you are able to resume daily activities. Physical therapy should begin right after surgery.​  

Meniscal allograft transplantation is a type of surgery in which the meniscus, a cartilage ring in the knee, is placed into your knee. The new meniscus is taken from a cadaver who has donated his or her tissue.  

If your doctor finds that you are a good candidate for a meniscus transplant, x-rays of your knee are usually taken to find a meniscus that will fit your knee. The donated meniscus is tested in the lab for any diseases. Other surgeries, such as ligament or cartilage repairs, may be done at the time of the meniscus transplant or with a separate surgery. The meniscus transplant is usually performed using knee arthroscopy. The arthroscope is inserted into your knee through a small incision. The scope is connected to a video monitor in the operating room. Your surgeon inspects the cartilage and ligaments of your knee, confirming that a meniscus transplant is appropriate, and that you don't have severe arthritis of the knee. The new meniscus is prepared to fit your knee correctly. If any tissue is left from your old meniscus, it is removed. An incision is made in the front of your knee to insert the new meniscus. The new meniscus is sutured in place. Another incision may be needed to sew the meniscus in place. Screws or other devices may be used to hold the meniscus in place.   

After the surgery is finished, the incisions are closed. A dressing is placed over the wound. During arthroscopy, your surgeon may record or take pictures of the procedure from the video monitor to show you what was found and what was done.   

Always tell your physician or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription. During the two weeks before your surgery you may be asked to stop taking drugs that make it harder for your blood to clot. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), and other drugs. Ask your physician which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.   

If you have diabetes, heart disease, or other medical conditions, your surgeon may ask you to see your doctor who treats you for these conditions. Tell your physician if you have been drinking more than one or two drinks of alcohol per day. If you smoke, try to stop. Ask your doctor for help. Smoking can slow down wound and bone healing. Always let your doctor know about any cold, flu, fever, herpes breakout, or other illness you have before your surgery.    

On the day of your surgery you will usually be asked not to drink or eat anything for six to 12 hours before the procedure. Be sure to take any medicines your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water. Your physician or physician’s office will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.  

After the surgery, you will likely wear a knee brace for the first six weeks. You will need crutches for six weeks to prevent putting full weight on your knee. You will likely be able to move the knee right after surgery and doing so helps prevent stiffness. Pain is usually managed with medications.  

Your physician may recommend physical therapy to help you regain the motion and strength of your knee. Therapy typically lasts between four and six months. How soon you can return to work depends on your job. It can take from a few weeks to a few months. It may take six months to a year to fully return to activities and sports.​