ACL Injuries Diagnosed

ACL Injuries Quickly Diagnosed by Houston Orthopedic Surgeon Using Non Invasive Tests

When a patient injures their knee and suspects a torn or stretched ACL, one of the first things a doctor may do is order an MRI or an x-ray. However, these procedures are time consuming, expensive and are not always effective in determining whether or not a patient has a torn or stretched ligament. Houston Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Mark Sanders is using more cost effective and non-invasive tests on his patients to diagnose ACL injuries quickly and more effectively.

The KT-1000 Knee Ligament Arthrometer:

Dr. Sanders and the staff of the Sanders Clinic for Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine clinic use a special device called the KT 1000 Knee Ligament Arthrometer to diagnose injury to the knee. The device is portable and can be used in an office or clinical setting. It is also relatively painless and can quickly tell if any of the patient’s cruciate ligaments are torn, stretched or strained. The machine is placed over the patient’s injured knee and different forces are applied to the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments to test laxity. The machine is then placed on the other knee to compare the two. Generally a difference of three millimeters or more between the injured and healthy knee indicates an ACL injury. Dr. Sanders favors the KT-1000 over an MRI because there is no-ray exposure and there is minimal muscle guarding because the patient is generally relaxed and comfortable. Patients favor the test because it is relatively inexpensive at only $100.

The TELOS Stress Device

In addition to the KT-100, the staff at the Sanders clinic has recently acquired a Telos Stress Device. This device is used during an x-ray on an ankle or knee to help determine the extent of an injury. An x-ray is very effective at showing broken bones. However, torn or stretched ligaments are often hard to identify from an x-ray alone and are consequently often misdiagnosed. By using the Telos device, combined with an x-ray, stress is put on the injured area and thus allows the orthopedic surgeon to measure and compare different angles and distances between the injured and non injured ankle or knee. This allows a quicker and more accurate diagnosis of a stretched or torn ligament. Dr. Sanders likes the device because it is more effective than an MRI at showing knee and ankle laxity. It is also cheaper than an MRI. A Telos Stress test runs around $200.

By using these two non-invasive devices, the staff at the Sanders clinic can better diagnose their patient’s ACL and other ligament injuries, putting them on a faster road to recovery.  For more information about the KT-1000 or the Telos Stress Device call Houston Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Mark Sanders at 1-888-8 DR MARK.