ACL Reconstruction during the COVID-19 pandemic

Posted on

At Manhattan Orthopedic Care, we are devoted to providing excellent care to our patients.  Even as we navigate through the challenging times of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Dr. Tehrany and his team are prepared to provide urgently needed care for our patients whose knee or shoulder conditions require immediate medical attention.  
  In his latest video, Dr. Armin Tehrany shares the story of one of his recent patients who had a painful ACL tear that severely impacted his life and daily routine. To help the patient go through the pandemic with no pain and more comfort in his knee, Dr. Tehrany recommended proceeding with the arthroscopic ACL Reconstruction. Before he brought the patient to the ambulatory center, Dr. Tehrany double-checked the flow of the surgical procedure, ensuring a risk-free and healthy environment for both surgery and recovery. An ACL injury occurs when the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the band of tissue that connects the femur to the tibia inside the knee joint, becomes torn or worn away. This condition causes pain and instability of the knee.
“The patient suffered an ACL tear. He had already had an ACL tear about 12 years ago. Then he had an injury recently, leading to a new ACL tear,” explains Dr. Tehrany during the preoperative meeting with the patient.
The process of prioritizing patients for surgery during a pandemic is a difficult one. However, Dr. Tehrany was able to recognize the urgency in the patient’s condition and act immediately.
“The [patient’s] knee is quite abnormal. This is abnormal, to be able to move this tibia so far forward – this is called the Lachman test. That instability, plus the patient wanting to get that instability rectified so that he can go about his life, and the fact that it is affecting his activities of daily living with chronic instability and pain is why we brought him here,” Dr. Tehrany explains.
During the surgery, Dr. Tehrany and his team focused on relieving the symptoms the patient experienced pre-surgery.  They also ensured a clean, safe, and Coronavirus-free environment the patient felt safe in during the procedure and afterwards for recovery. 
“We discussed the fact that we are at an ambulatory surgery center, which is different than in a hospital.  In an ambulatory surgery center” Dr. Tehrany explains, “certain cases like this one would be safe to do. We are taking every precaution as you can see.”
In the video, Dr. Tehrany also explains the additional safety practices of the Manhattan Orthopedic Care team and its facilities. He points out the additional methods of protection required by both the patient and staff.
“The patient is wearing a mask and gloves, and we are wearing special masks and gloves to be able to proceed. I am very proud of our team, who is taking this very seriously, so we are going to go ahead and proceed and do an ACL reconstruction,” Dr. Tehrany confirms with a high level of confidence.
At Manhattan Orthopedic Care, the continued health of our staff and patients is our utmost priority as we continue to offer our expertise and care. If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder and knee and would like to talk to a shoulder and knee specialist, you can schedule a Telemedicine appointment today.