Back on the stage after complex knee surgery - Brigitta Csibrák's professional acrobat recovery story
author Dr. Gáspár Szabolcs | 2023 .03.31.
Brigitta Csibrák's career as a circus acrobat has been jeopardised by a complex knee injury. Thanks to orthopedics specialist Dr. Szabolcs Gáspár, Brigitta's knee has been repaired. Six months after the accident, she was able to resume her acrobatic career where she left off before her injury.
Finding a professional
Brigitta Csibrák, the professional acrobat , suffered an extremely rare and complex knee injury: Her right knee suffered, among other things, a rupture of the lateral and posterior cruciate ligaments, a cartilage ring injury and a fracture of the tibia.
When many people told me that it would be better not to fight, that I should give up, because it would never work, I cried a lot and I just thought that I couldn't stop. Dr. Gáspár operated on many of my friends in the circus. He has operated on about everyone in the famous Richter family and we have heard nothing but good things about him. He can be trusted, he is very skilful and everyone has been fine ever since. So I chose him too.
Unique injury in an unusual profession
As a circus acrobat, Brigitta has a special profession that requires special physical demands. Increased exertion and pushing the limits of the human body has many beauties, but it can also cause injury. Brigitta landed wrong on her foot while practising an acrobatic move. At the moment of touchdown , her knee bent abnormally forward. She feared the accident would end her career.
Dr. Szabolcs Gáspár summarized the patient's injury as follows:
Brigitta is 30 years old, a professional acrobat, a female patient who came to us in February this year. She injured her right knee after a bad landing following a jump. And she suffered a very serious injury.
In doing so, he tore his collateral ligament, fractured the tibia near the joint, damaged one of the cartilage rings in his joint, and tore his posterior cruciate ligament and part of his anterior cruciate ligament.
It is a very complex and very complete injury. It is relatively rare to occur on such a severe scale. And so Brigitta came to us.
Two-stage surgical procedure to restore original knee function
The doctor told me exactly what would happen, that there would be two operations. He was very kind about everything. I could feel that it was not just a job for him, but He loves what He does and He wants to help me and fix me. He really knew how important this was to me, that this was my life.
Because of the complexity of the injury, Brigitta's knee could not be fully repaired in one operation. Dr. Szabolcs Gáspár, in consultation with the patient, suggested a two-step surgical sequence. They set out on the road to recovery with the patient, following the plan they had made together.
Dr. Szabolcs Gáspár summarized the reconstruction as follows:
We decided to operate on him in two stages. That is, it means that we will not treat all his injuries at once, but we will first treat the damage to the collateral ligament, the so-called posterior capsular tear, and the reconstruction of one of the tendons within the joint. After that we started a very close and very intensive rehabilitation for him. We used external fixation and, in consultation with the patient, we started a very intensive physiotherapy treatment.
About the rupture of the knee ligament
The human knee joint is connected by a series of ligaments that play an important role in the stability and movement of the joint.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
Located in the middle of the joint, it is responsible for controlling the back and forth movement of the knee joint.
The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
It is located at the back of the joint and is also responsible for controlling the movement of the knee joint. Like the ACL, it plays an important role in the stability of the joint.
The lateral collateral ligament (LCL)
It is located on the outside of the joint and controls the lateral movement of the knee joint.
The medial collateral ligament (MCL)
It is located on the inner side of the joint and is also important for controlling the lateral movement of the knee joint.
The prosthetic implants used by BMM's knee prosthesis specialists have an excellent rating in the International Prosthetic Register.
Types and causes of ligament rupture
The knee ligament rupture can be total or partial. The most common type of ligament rupture is a cruciate ligament rupture.
- In the case of a partial cruciate ligament rupture, the knee has some range of motion and weight bearing, but is painful and unstable.
- In the case of a complete cruciate ligament rupture, a crunching sensation can be heard/experienced in the knee at the moment of injury, accompanied by severe pain. In this case the instability of the knee increases and loss of function may occur.
The number one indicator of a hamstring injury is usually some kind of sports injury. The rupture occurs due to twisting of the knee joint, as a result of sudden stopping or changing direction.
Surgical repair of a ruptured knee ligament
Rupture of the ligaments of the knee joint is a serious injury. Surgical intervention is needed to repair it. The rupture of the torn ligament usually cannot be simply stitched up, so the affected ligament is rebuilt.
- Treatment of anterior cruciate ligament ruptures usually aims to restore joint stability. This is called ligamentoplasty.
- During the surgical procedure, another tissue, most often a tendon of the thigh, is used to replace the damaged ligament. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is usually done in a minimally invasive way.
- In the case of a rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament, an intervention is necessary if other structures of the knee joint are damaged.
Surgical treatment for damage to the lateral ligaments usually involves placing sutures or rebuilding the affected ligaments.
After surgical treatment of the knee joint ligaments, a rehabilitation process follows. The aim of rehabilitation is to restore mobility and strength to the joint. To do this physiotherapy, massage and other physiotherapy and physiotherapy methods are available.
Return to the stage
Dr Szabolcs Gáspár summarised the results of Brigitta's operation:
He was able to land on his operated limb 5.5 - 6 months after surgery following a jump.
Brigitta was very disciplined in following the doctor's instructions. Her efforts have paid off. The professional hands gave her back the freedom of movement that meant her life.
Maybe if I don't choose him, if I don't choose Dr. Gáspár, it might not happen and it might not work. It really wasn't just what He did to my leg that was important, but that He made me trust that I could do it. In a way that a lot of people said that it might not work out and I might not be able to recover.
Surgery is never an easy decision to make. Most people fear it and want to avoid it as much as possible. As a result , they procrastinate, which makes the problem worse. Our patient's story is a perfect example of the desire for health, overcoming fear and achieving a seemingly impossible recovery.
Brigitta's approach to surgery is truly inspiring.
...when it comes to surgery, I know it's very difficult to start or to go through with it, but if it's going to be good afterwards, fear must be overcome! ... In professional hands it's easy!