About the Surgery
Introduction
Patient Case History
Pre-Op Preparation
The Procedure
Post-Op & Recovery
Rehabilitation

More Information
About the ACL &
Arthroscopy
Total ACL Tear

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The Procedure

This procedure is a new treatment for people who have partial tears of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. The new technique uses a heating element (also known as a heat probe or a thermal system) which heats the tissue to 67 degrees centigrade, causing it to contract (mend), which will then act as a scaffold for new ingrowth of collagen. Collagen is the basic, underlying protein that makes up

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all ligaments. This removes the laxity that is present in the ligament and will result in tightening to more normal condition.

This procedure was first introduced three years ago for shoulder soreness primarily for people who had dislocated shoulders or for shoulders that slip in and out of place. This treatment has been very successful at tightening the tissues in the shoulder. It is now being used for partial ACL tears and has also been found to be an extremely successful treatment.

Prior to this procedure, there was no good treatment for partial tears of the ACL. The patient was told to wear a brace on the knee, to exercise and try to maintain stability or to have a full reconstruction. Now through the use of this new thermal method, treatment is available.

Being a new treatment, there are no statistics as of yet showing the number of cases that have been treated with this procedure. The doctor in this case, Richard L. Levitt, M.D., has used the procedure successfully over 25 times and states "...one can detect looseness in the knee before the procedure and as soon as we're finished and the ligament is tightened the looseness is gone."

In this particular case, the procedure's success would be determined not only by the thermal repair of the ligament but by the fact that the patient has arthritis. This must be taken into consideration as the arthritic change will probably cause some discomfort or may not allow him to achieve 100% success. Barring any arthritic change or any other major and unexpected occurances a 100% recovery is possible.

Insurance covers this procedure like it would with any other. In fact, for the insurance company, it is preferred because it is less expensive.