ACL Reconstruction
Knee surgery to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligamentKnee surgeon Perth | Orthopaedic surgeon Dr David Colvin - shoulder and knee surgery
ACL Reconstruction
ACL surgeon perthWhat is ACL reconstruction?
The aim of ACL reconstruction surgery is to stabilize your knee joint. A torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament can’t heal by itself and causes knee joint instability and a feeling of giving way or insecurity.
Longstanding knee joint instability causes further damage to the knee cartilage and may cause a torn meniscus.
Dr. David Colvin, trained in orthopaedic surgery in Perth. David's specialty is knee and shoulder surgery and sports injuries.
Why is ACL Reconstruction required?
Repeated episodes of instability or a feeling of insecurity with your knee will prevent you from playing sport and enjoying life to the full.
The torn ACL shrinks to a stump and cannot be repaired. Treatment for an ACL tear requires ACL reconstruction.
Your orthopaedic surgeon will make a new cruciate ligament using a graft. Once the graft has been taken, the surgery is done arthroscopically. This is minimally invasive and allows for a quicker recovery and less pain.
Have you damaged your ACL?
If you have had an injury where you felt a pop in the knee followed by swelling over the next twenty-four hours then you may have an ACL tear. Suspect an ACL injury if you have been through a rehab program with your physiotherapist and have ongoing symptoms of instability in the knee, giving way, or reinjury.
An anterior cruciate ligament tear may be associated with other injuries in the knee. Often, there is also a torn meniscus, or an injury to the joint surface. This can result in locking, jamming, or even a loose body within the knee joint.
CO.RE ACL

In the field of shoulder and knee reconstruction, successful outcomes from an operation are 50% surgery and 50% rehabilitation. You could say the surgery is the easy bit, the rehabilitation is all hard slog. Dr Colvin’s CO.RE exercise programs are just that, a core plan for your successful recovery.
Hamstring grafts for ACL Reconstruction.
There are several graft options to choose from for this surgery. Factors in graft choice include your age, sex, occupation, sport and previous injuries or surgery.
Hamstring tendons are the most popular choice for cruciate reconstruction. They form a strong graft, and because the graft is made up of your own tissue, it integrates quickly and permanently. Using a hamstring graft doesn't weaken the hamstring muscles.
Alternative grafts used in ACL Reconstruction.
There are a number of alternative grafts:
- Patellar tendon graft: This method involves taking a strip of the middle third of the patellar tendon including a small piece of bone from the knee cap where the tendon starts and from the tibia where the tendon attaches.
- LARS graft: This is a synthetic ligament which is threaded through the stumps of the torn cruciate ligament. Cells from your cruciate ligament stump grow into the woven ligament which acts as a scaffold for a new ligament to form.
- Hybrid reconstruction or Augmented LARS reconstruction: In this method, the LARS graft is combined with a conventional hamstring graft in an attempt to achieve the best of both worlds. The LARS ligament provides immediate stability for quicker rehabilitation, and the hamstring tissue offers the basis for a long-term living ligament.
What is the best knee surgery to reconstruct my ACL?
If you contact orthopaedic surgeon Dr Colvin at the Western Orthopaedic Clinic in Subiaco Perth, he will be able to give you clear guidelines about what to expect with ACL reconstruction surgery and what ACL graft choice is best for your knee.
ACL Injury
ACL Graft Choices
ACL Reconstruction FAQ
If you suffer from an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee, you may have questions about the ACL tear and the surgery you need. I have created a page listing some of the most frequently asked questions about ACL reconstruction.
ACL Terminology
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CONTACT DETAILS
(08) 9489 8787
ADDRESS
Suite 213/25 McCourt St,
Subiaco WA 6008
OPENING HOURS
Consulting Rooms
Dr David Colvin consults at:
Western Orthopaedic Clinic
- These rooms are part of St John of God Subiaco Hospital.
- Parking is available on site.
OPERATING
Dr David Colvin operates at:
St John of God Subiaco Hospital
12 Salvado Rd,
Subiaco WA 6008