ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Pune
Keyhole ligament reconstruction. A arthroscopic approach with 24-hr stay and a typical recovery of ~4 weeks. But surgery is the last step, not the first — start with a orthopaedic surgeon and rule out the simpler fixes.
How it works
You don't buy an operation here — you start with a doctor. Book a consultation first; ACL Reconstruction surgery happens only if a orthopaedic surgeon confirms you need it.
About anterior cruciate ligament (acl) tear
The anterior cruciate ligament runs through the centre of the knee and stops the shin bone sliding forward and rotating on the thigh bone. It is usually torn in a non-contact pivot, deceleration or landing injury, and a torn ACL does not heal back onto itself. The knee can feel entirely normal walking in a straight line and still give way on a turn. Associated meniscal and cartilage damage is common, and is a large part of why the injury matters years later.
When is surgery actually needed?
Not every ACL tear needs reconstruction, and that is worth saying plainly. Structured rehabilitation to restore full range of movement, quadriceps and hamstring strength and neuromuscular control is the first step for everyone, and is definitive treatment for lower-demand people who do not need to pivot. Reconstruction is advised for recurrent instability in ordinary daily life, for pivoting athletes who want to return to sport, where a repairable meniscal tear would be put at risk by continued instability, and in multi-ligament injury. Timing matters as much as the decision: operating on a stiff, swollen knee raises the risk of permanent stiffness, so surgery follows a pre-habilitation phase that restores full extension and settles the swelling.
Why arthroscopic, not open surgery
Arthroscopic reconstruction replaces the ligament with a graft — most often the patient's own hamstring tendons, or bone-patellar tendon-bone, or quadriceps tendon; a donor allograft is an option in revision or in older patients. Two small portals give access. Tunnels are drilled in the femur and tibia at the ligament's natural footprints, the graft is passed through and fixed with suspensory devices or screws, and any meniscal tear is repaired or trimmed in the same sitting. The graft is not a ligament on day one: it revascularises and remodels over roughly a year, and that biology — not how the knee feels — is what sets the rehabilitation timeline.
Your options for anterior cruciate ligament (acl) tear
Non-surgical options are listed first where they exist. Which one suits you depends on your examination and reports — this table is here so you can ask better questions, not to choose for you.
Our orthopaedic surgeon surgeons
Dr. Vikram Shah
Dr. Karan Malhotra
Senior
Dr. Sanjay Kulkarni
Senior
Dr. Arjun Menon
SeniorCost, EMI & insurance
Covered by insurance
ACL Reconstruction surgery is covered by most health policies. We start cashless pre-authorisation before admission — you pay nothing extra at discharge.
Your recovery timeline
Week by week after acl reconstruction surgery
Discharge the next day in a brace with crutches. Ice, elevation and full-extension exercises start immediately.
Wound check, quadriceps activation, and the priority is regaining full passive extension.
Weight-bearing progresses, full flexion returns, crutches are discarded. Driving usually at four to six weeks depending on the side.
Running, agility and plyometric work as objective strength targets are met — by test, not by feel.
Return to pivoting sport, and only after strength and hop testing. Going back early is the single biggest cause of re-rupture.
Risks, preparation & aftercare
Every operation carries risk. These are the complications your surgeon will take you through before you consent — they are listed here so you read them without a pen in your hand.
Possible complications of acl reconstruction surgery
Before your procedure
Pre-habilitation until the swelling has settled and full extension has returned — this is not a delay, it is what protects you from a stiff knee. MRI to confirm the tear and assess the menisci and cartilage. Discuss graft choice properly, because it affects your rehabilitation. Fitness bloods; stop smoking, which impairs graft healing. Arrange crutches, ice and the brace before the day.
After you go home
Follow the physiotherapist's phased protocol and do not skip ahead because the knee feels good — it will feel good long before the graft is ready. Ice and elevate; use the brace and crutches as instructed. Regain full extension early; it is far harder to recover later. Keep the wound dry for 48 hours. Report fever, a hot swollen knee, calf pain or breathlessness urgently.
Frequently asked questions
Start with a conversation, not a commitment.
Book a ₹550 consultation with a orthopaedic surgeon — adjusted into your surgery cost if you go ahead. No pressure, no surgery unless you need it.