ACL Surgery Duration: What to Expect - Recovery Timeline & More

Typical Duration

ACL surgery averages 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on technique and patient factors.

Timeline Breakdown

1. Preoperative Preparation (30–60 min): Anesthesia assessment, consent, preoperative instructions.
2. Anesthesia (15–30 min): General anesthesia administration and monitoring.
3. Surgical Procedure (45–90 min): Arthroscopic repair/reconstruction using autograft, allograft, or synthetic graft.
4. Post-Procedure Recovery (30–60 min): Monitoring in recovery room until vitals stable.
5. Dressing & Bracing (15–30 min): Wound dressing, pain medication, knee brace/immobilizer application.

Variables

Duration varies with surgeon experience, hospital protocols, and unforeseen complications. Your surgeon will provide case-specific details.