Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Reconstruction (Includes Implants & Hardware)
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Reconstruction
An injury to the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) occurs when there is a stretch, partial tear, or complete tear (rupture) to the ligament. The medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) is a wide, thick band of tissue running down the inner knee from the thighbone (femur) to a point on the shinbone (tibia) about four to six inches from the knee.
The Medial Collateral Ligament’s main function is to prevent the leg from extending too far inward, but it also helps keep the knee stable and allows it to rotate.
Preparation for the Medial Collateral Ligament Reconstruction
Preparations depend on your surgeon. In general, you should:
- Avoid certain medications. Your doctor may want you to avoid taking medications or dietary supplements that can increase your risk of bleeding.
- Fast beforehand. Depending on the type of anesthesia you’ll have, your doctor may want you to avoid eating or drinking six to twelve hours before your procedure.
- Arrange for a ride. You won’t be allowed to drive yourself home after the procedure, so make sure someone will be available to pick you up. If you live alone, ask someone to check on you that evening or, ideally, stay with you the rest of the day.
- Choose loose clothing. Wear loose, comfortable clothing, baggy gym shorts, slip-on shoes, for example, if you’re having a knee arthroscopy, so you can dress easily after the procedure.
FAQS
Frequently asked questions about surgical procedures
Can I use my insurance and get these prices?
Payment is due 14 calendar days prior to your surgery date. If, after the cutoff, your account is not settled, your case must be postponed.
How quickly can I have surgery?
How will I meet my surgeon?
If I had a car or work accident, would you work with my employer or attorney for payment?
What if I get sick right before my surgery?
You could develop a respiratory infection, a urinary tract infection, COVID, or some other condition that may necessitate postponement. There is no penalty when this happens.
What’s Included:
- Facility fee
- Graft and hardware costs (if needed)
- Surgeon and assistant surgeon fees
- Anesthesiologist
- Time in the recovery unit (at no additional charge)
- Initial consultation visit
- One post-operative visit
*Please note: If you choose not to proceed with surgery after the initial consultation, or if you delay your procedure for more than 6 weeks, you will need to update your consultation at a cost of $375.
What’s not included:
- Lab testing before and after the surgery, as needed
- Electrocardiogram (EKG), depending on age. If you had one elsewhere in the past 6 months and it read “normal”, we can forego this expense.
- Imaging costs. X-rays and MRIs can be obtained anywhere.
- Physical therapy services
- Medications you’ll need (oral or IV antibiotic infusions if an infection arises)
- Wound care
- Bracing supplies
- Additional doctor visits (a pre-operative visit with the surgeon, in person, and any required post-op follow-ups after the suture removal to monitor your progress
- Additional surgical intervention if a complication arises
- Additional imaging or hospital care if a blood clot develops
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Surgery
When MCL surgery is done, it is usually done through a small incision on the inside of your knee. It is not done arthroscopically, since this ligament is not inside the knee joint.
If the medial collateral ligament has been torn where it attaches to the thighbone (femur) or shinbone (tibia), the surgeon will re-attach the ligament to the bone using large stitches or a metal screw or bone staple. If the tear was in the middle of the ligament, the surgeon would sew the torn ends together.
What to expect after your surgery
Recovery
On average, it takes six weeks for a Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Reconstruction to heal. The initial treatment for most MCL tears focuses on reducing the pain and inflammation in the knee while immobilizing the knee to keep it stabilized. This includes:
- Resting, icing, and elevating the knee
- Taking pain relievers, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, to ease pain and swelling
- Wearing a lightweight cast or brace that allows your knee to move backward and forward while restricting side-to-side movement. It is usually recommended to keep the knee immobilized like this for 72 hours, depending on the severity of the injury. The cast or brace may be designed so that you cannot bend your knee at all. If this is the case, you will need to modify your behavior so that you can avoid having to squat, kneel down, or bend over.
- You should try to keep your leg elevated, even if you are sitting in a chair, to reduce blood flow to the knee.
- Once the pain and swelling subside, you will begin rehabilitation, which will include exercises to restore strength and normal range of motion to your knee.
- If your knee feels sore while you are doing these exercises, you should proceed slowly to prevent further irritation
Risk
Managing risk:
- The most effective treatment for complications is prevention. For example, the risk of infection is decreased by giving antibiotics prior to surgery
- The risk of blood clots is decreased by using anti-embolism stockings.
- Knee stiffness can often be managed with physical therapy and braces.
- Since most complications can be effectively managed when identified promptly, if patients have questions or concerns about the post-operative course, the surgeon should be informed as soon as possible.
Can I Travel to St George for Surgery?
Yes, and we’ll help you make all your arrangements.
- We have arrangements to try to obtain free flights through a non-profit volunteer pilot organization. We can do this with 10 days’ advance notice in most cases.
- We have discount codes for the Holiday Inn in town. This hotel is 1.5 miles from the surgery center and 2 miles from our clinic.
- We’ll arrange to send your after-surgery medications to your hometown pharmacy for pickup before you leave.
What if I would rather drive to St George?
No problem, we can help with those plans as well. When you have surgery with us, we’ll need to make sure you’re safe and comfortable after surgery. We’ll arrange cold compression therapy that requires an AC/DC adaptor/transformer and frequent stops to stretch and refill the ice reservoir on the road.
We’ll ask about the vehicle you’ll travel in to ensure you have a way to elevate and stretch out in the vehicle on the road while someone else does the driving.
How are follow-up and initial consultations handled?
In-person and telehealth consultations are possible with the surgeon to whom your case is assigned. The initial visit is included in the surgical package and is valued at $375.
We can also obtain the flights from the volunteer pilot nonprofit if you’d like to come for initial and follow-up visits in person. One follow-up visit is included in the surgical package at a value of $175. Any additional visits are charged at the time of service to your credit or debit card.
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