ACL Tear Repair Without Surgery
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- ACL Tear Repair Without Surgery
- Recovery time without surgery
- Rejuvenexx for ACL tears
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- How long can you wait to have ACL surgery?
- Can an ACL tear heal on its own?
- What type of ACL tears can be treated with a Rejuvenexxprocedure?
ACL Tear Recovery Time Without Surgery
You have some important things to consider in making the best decision for your recovery, your return to sport or normal activity, and, ultimately, your long-term health. At Rejuvenexx , our goal is to save your ACL, not replace it. The existing research and our significant expertise support the possibility for successful natural healing of ACL injuries.
Perc-ACLR | Surgery | |
|---|---|---|
Procedure Invasiveness | Much less | Much more
|
Return to Sports | 3 to 6 months | 1 year
|
Keep your ACL | Yes | No |
Recovery | Brace, much less extensive PT | Crutches, brace, extensive PT |
How Does Rejuvenexx Work?
At Rejuvenexx , we invented a new approach to orthopedic care we call Interventional Orthopedics. This minimally invasive alternative to ACL surgery uses ultrasound-guided technology to precisely inject your own bone marrow concentrate — which contains stem cells — directly where it’s needed in the joint.
The cells in your bone marrow concentrate work at the site of your injury to promote your body’s natural healing abilities to treat the tear and avoid surgery1
Rejuvenexx For ACL Tears: Perc-ACLR
Watch a real patient’s Rejuvenexx procedure
BEFORE and AFTER Procedure MRI Images
FAQs
What does the ACL do?
Knee joint anatomy showing ACL
Can an ACL tear heal on its own?
Are ACL sprains, tears and ruptures different?
ACL sprains, tears, and ruptures are all essentially the same thing, and the terms are used interchangeably. Injured knee ligaments are all considered “sprains” and are graded on a severity scale.
- Grade 1 Sprains: The ligament is mildly damaged in a Grade 1 Sprain. It has been slightly stretched but is still able to help keep the knee joint stable.
- Grade 2 Sprains: A Grade 2 Sprain stretches or mildly tears the ligament to a point that the ACL becomes loose. This is also sometimes referred to as a partial tear of the ligament.
- Grade 3 Sprains: This type of sprain is most commonly referred to as a complete tear of the ligament. The ligament has been split into two pieces, and the knee joint is unstable.
An ACL rupture is another term often used to describe a tear. However, ruptures of the ACL are generally equated with complete full-thickness tears (Grade 3 Sprains) and are often associated with ligament deformity or full retraction.
Why get a second opinion for an ACL tear?
Statistically, only about half of athletes who have ACL reconstruction regain complete function after rehab and are able to return to sport at the same level. The other half regain knee stability but not normal biomechanics or proprioception equal to the noninjured knee. Functional limitations in daily life are also possible. It is always advisable to get a second opinion on the need for surgery as there are a number of documented complications associated with conventional ACL reconstruction surgery and your injury could have been misdiagnosed. While surgery might be the right procedure for some ACL injuries, the vast majority of people could avoid it.
- Approximately 17 percent of adults will experience anterior knee pain or pain on kneeling, and between 5 percent and 29 percent will experience graft failure and loss of knee joint stability, with younger patients having higher rates. Other potential complications include knee stiffness or loss or range of motion (approximately 5 percent), painful hardware (approximately 6 percent), infection (approximately 1 percent to 2 percent) or patellar tendon rupture/patellar fracture in the case of bone-to-bone grafts.3-6
- Increased youth participation in high-intensity elite sports has resulted in much higher rates of ACL repair surgery in young teens, however, research is now suggesting that postsurgery complications may be worse in kids than adults. If preserving the natural physical gifts you were born with and “keeping original parts and structures intact” is your goal, you may want to consider a nonsurgical alternative like Perc-ACLR.
- A large analysis of 160 clinical trials demonstrated higher rates of postsurgery complications in young teens undergoing ACL repair and found that the risk for growth disturbances, skeletal deformities, and ligament rerupture requiring a second surgery was much higher in this young (average age = 13), skeletally immature population.7
- A 2010 Swedish research study also challenged the concept that surgery is the only way to heal ACL tears. They demonstrated that 60 percent of the athletes (average age = 26) who elected a strict physical therapy regimen over surgery never needed to have the ACL replaced and were still able to play sports.8
What type of ACL tears can be treated with a Rejuvenexx procedure?
When it comes to ACL tears, there are numerous classifications and subtypes. In regenerative medicine, however, we define these tears by 3 types: partial thickness, full thickness non-retracted, and full thickness retracted. Both partial thickness and full-thickness, non-retracted tears can be treated with regenerative medicine utilizing the Rejuvenexx knee Perc-ACL procedure to heal your tear without surgery. Full-thickness, retracted tears will likely require surgical repair to heal properly.
- Partial Thickness ACL Tear
A partial-thickness ACL tear is one that hasn’t torn completely through. It’s exactly as it sounds—on imaging, we would see that a portion of the ligament is still intact. - Full-Thickness Non-retracted ACL Tear
A full thickness nonretracted ACL tear is one that has torn all the way through; however, it hasn’t completely pulled apart or snapped back like a rubber band would. The ligament is certainly fully torn, but the pieces are still in place. - Full-Thickness Retracted ACL Tear
A full thickness retracted ACL tear is one that has torn through, but in this case, the two pieces have pulled apart or maybe even snapped back like a rubber band.
- Partial Thickness ACL Tear
Get started to see if you are a Rejuvenexx candidate
To talk one-on-one with one of our team members about how Rejuvenexx may be able to help your orthopedic pain or injury, please complete the form below and we will be in touch with you within the next business day.
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We will provide information to help you decide whether you want to schedule an evaluation with a Rejuvenexx Physician.
Insurance typically covers evaluations and diagnostic testing (if recommended). Most insurance plans currently do not cover Rejuvenexx Procedures.
References
1.
Centeno C, Markle J, Dodson E, Stemper I, Williams C, Hyzy M, Ichim T, Freeman M. Symptomatic anterior cruciate ligament tears treated with percutaneous injection of autologous bone marrow concentrate and platelet products: a non-controlled registry study. J Transl Med. 2018 Sep 3;16(1):246. doi: 10.1186/s12967-018-1623-3. PMID: 30176875. PMID: 30176875. [Google Scholar]
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Freedman KB, D’Amato MJ, Nedeff DD, Kaz A, Bach BR Jr. Arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a metaanalysis comparing patellar tendon and hamstring tendon autografts. Am J Sports Med. 2003 Jan-Feb;31(1):2-11. doi: 10.1177/03635465030310011501. PMID: 12531750. [Google Scholar]
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Kovacic JJ in Complications of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery, AAOS Monograph Series 2005. Accessed August 25, 2020.
7.
Wong SE, Feeley BT, Pandya NK. Complications After Pediatric ACL Reconstruction: A Meta-analysis. J Pediatr Orthop. 2019 Sep;39(8):e566-e571. doi: 10.1097/BPO.0000000000001075. PMID: 31393290. [Google Scholar]
8.
Frobell RB, Roos EM, Roos HP, Ranstam J, Lohmander LS. A randomized trial of treatment for acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. N Engl J Med. 2010 Jul 22;363(4):331-42. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0907797. Erratum in: N Engl J Med. 2010 Aug 26;363(9):893. PMID: 20660401. [Google Scholar]
