The aim of this article is to give general information about the ACL surgery..
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery is recommended to deal with the problem of wearing out of the knees, due to excessive stress on them. The knees undertake the task of carrying the weight of the entire body. Apart from the anterior cruciate ligament surgeries, many people undergo the knee replacement surgery to deal with the same problem. The anterior cruciate ligament surgeries may be required for sports persons as the heavy duty physical activities can put a tremendous pressure on their knees.
Cost of ACL Surgery
The expenditure depends on the complications of the case and the place where the surgery would be done. As per various sources in the medical industry, the cost of ACL surgery can be anything in the range of USD 25,000 to USD 55,000, if the patient undergoing the surgery does not have any kind of health insurance policy. The cost of the surgery is quite high due to the inclusion of costs such as fee charged by the surgeon for performing the surgery, the money required for anesthesia and also the facility fee. If you have a health insurance policy, things can get much better and cheaper. Apart from the above mentioned costs, you may have to spend more money on the physical therapy, medicines and the medical machines and equipment. The cost of the equipment which is necessary for fast recovery, could be above six hundred dollars. The charges for the physical therapy, which is essential during the recovery phase mighty vary from place to place. You might have to pay the physical therapist on an hourly basis.
As per research, the average cost of the surgery works out to be around USD 34,000. You will have to pay up for the knee braces and the crutches if you are not insured. Most of the insurance policies take care of these additional expenses, which are associated with the anterior cruciate ligament surgery.
Now, having got the knowledge of the possible expenditure, let us discuss the costs for all the things involved in this surgical procedure separately. The fees which is charged by the surgeons can be anything in the range of USD 1000 to USD 2000 depending on the complications involved in the case. For the anesthesia, you will have to spend anything in between USD 650 to USD 900. While the crutches can cost you around USD 35, the cost of the medicines which are very essential for successful recovery from this surgical procedure can be around USD 110. The facility fee would be in excess of USD 800.
Recovery
- In the first two weeks, the patients can end the swelling of the ligament with the help of various knee exercises.
- In the next ten weeks, the patient is able to achieve a good posture and a balanced gait
- After three or four months from the surgery, the patient can start doing the heavy exercises apart from the light exercises
- After six months from surgery, most of the patients recover completely and their life is back to normal
This article has covered the important points of ACL surgery cost and recovery. However, you should remember that the recovery time for this surgery can be different for different people.