Ho Chi Minh City – Anh Binh, 23 years old, suffered a football injury a year ago but did not seek treatment, making it difficult for him to walk. Now, doctors have replaced his ligaments with artificial ones.
On November 25th, Dr. Tran Anh Vu, Deputy Director of the Orthopedic Trauma Center at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, stated that a young man suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, and delayed treatment resulted in the degeneration of many blood vessels and ligament roots.
The surgical procedure was demonstrated by Dr. Vu and MSc. Dr. Phan Thanh Tan at the scientific conference "Artificial Ligament" on November 25th at Tam Anh Research Institute. The entire ligament reconstruction process, lasting approximately 30 minutes, was broadcast live via 360-degree camera to screens at the conference, in the presence of nearly 100 experts. The conference was organized by the Orthopedic Trauma Center in collaboration with the Training and Scientific Research Center (TAMRI) of the Tam Anh General Hospital System.
According to Dr. Vu, artificial ligaments (LARS) are widely used worldwide, especially in the sports world. They are made from a combination of approximately 3,000 braided polyethylene fibers, giving them good flexibility and resilience, a load-bearing capacity of 300-350 kg, and high biocompatibility with the body. Therefore, patients can move freely without worrying about recurrent ligament rupture.
Artificial ligaments are made from a composite of approximately 3,000 polyethylene fibers. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital.
During the surgery, the doctor preserved the base of the natural ligament to attach the artificial ligament. One to two months after the surgery, Mr. Binh continued to receive injections of collagen and synovial fluid to provide the natural ligament with the necessary materials to repair damaged fibrous tissue and regenerate, enveloping the artificial ligament.
"The artificial ligament is small but strong, allowing patients to return to daily activities and sports sooner, while still healing the main ligament," Dr. Vu explained.
Doctor Vu (center) during a cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. Photo: Tam Anh Hospital.
Dr. Tang Ha Nam Anh, Vice President of the Southeast Asian Society of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy, and Director of the Orthopedic Trauma Center, stated that while there are many techniques for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery, the success rate is not high. The current treatment trend is primarily to reconstruct or preserve the natural ligament. However, the techniques commonly used in other countries cost 3-4 times more than techniques combining artificial and natural ligaments.
"This is a simple technique that saves patients a lot of money. The key to a successful surgery is the surgeon's skill," said Dr. Nam Anh.
At Tam Anh Hospital, artificial ligaments are one of the commonly used methods for treating severe ligament injuries. In 2023, doctors performed over 400 ligament reconstruction surgeries, an increase of nearly 50% compared to the previous year.
Dr. Vu stated that ligament injuries are a very common type of injury resulting from accidents in daily life, traffic accidents, or sports activities. If not treated early, patients risk reduced mobility.
Doctors advise patients to see a doctor if they experience warning symptoms such as pain and swelling in the knee joint, reduced weight-bearing capacity of the knee, difficulty walking, inability to bend or flex the knee... especially after an injury.
Treatment methods depend on the severity of the injury. In mild cases, patients may receive conservative treatment with splints and RICE therapy (rest, ice, compression bandages, and elevation of the leg). If the injury is severe, resulting in a torn or completely ruptured ligament, the patient will undergo ligament reconstruction surgery.
Phi Hong
* The patient's name has been changed.
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