TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The surgery for knee ligament reconstruction using artificial ligaments for the first time in Indonesia was claimed to be successful at Premier Bintaro Hospital, South Tangerang. The procedure was carried out as part of the Introductionary Lecture and Live Surgery: Artificial Ligament for Knee Ligament Reconstruction event, which featured ligament reconstruction expert from China, Tao Kun, along with the orthopedic specialist from Premier Bintaro Hospital, Sapto Adji Hardjosworo.
The procedure was conducted in a live surgery format and represented the maiden clinical implementation of artificial ligaments in knee ligament reconstruction in Indonesia. "The use of artificial ligaments is a new approach in treating knee ligament injuries, aiming to provide more optimal joint stability and expedite the patient's recovery process," said Sapto Adji Hardjosworo in his statement on Friday, December 20, 2025.
Artificial ligaments differ from the conventional method, which commonly uses the patient's tendon tissue. This technology is designed to provide mechanical strength from the early postoperative stage, and is deemed capable of supporting a faster rehabilitation process for specific cases.
Tao Kun is a senior orthopedic specialist from the Tenth People's Hospital affiliated with Tongji University in Shanghai. He has experience in the application of artificial ligament technology and is involved in academic activities, research, and orthopedic surgical training in various countries.
Meanwhile, Sapto Adji Hardjosworo is an orthopedic and traumatology specialist with a sub-specialization in sports injuries, handling various cases of knee and ligament injuries.
Sapto mentioned that previously, if a torn ligament was found in the knee, the doctor would replace it with a tendon from another part of the patient's body, typically taken from the back of the thigh or the calf. 'This method is as though a part of the body is ultimately 'sacrificed' to replace the torn ligament. Another alternative for replacing the torn ligament is using a donor tendon from a deceased person. "But we don't have such technology at the moment. And the risks are also significant, such as infections," he said.
"Currently, artificial ligaments have been developed worldwide. These artificial ligaments are used to replace the torn ligament," he added.
Cases of torn ligaments are quite common in Indonesia, with one of the common causes being sports injuries. Patients with sports injuries often require replacement ligaments. "There isn't an exact data in Indonesia, but based on my colleagues, there is almost no day without an operation like this. There are so many cases of knee injuries, including torn ligaments," he said.
Several sports that commonly result in ligament injuries are soccer, basketball, and badminton. These three sports require agility and speed, with some movements leading to ligament injuries. Using artificial ligaments can be one of the solutions to address these injuries. In order to implant artificial ligaments in the human body, there are various requirements to prevent the body from rejecting the device.
It is hoped that this technology can help patients recover faster. "What used to take 6 months for recovery, can now be achieved in 3 months," said Sapto. "This operation is expected to help patients return to their normal activities. For example, if a patient enjoys playing football, they should be able to do so again. If they play basketball, they should be able to play again. If their profession is as a sports athlete, the patient should be able to return to their profession. And so far, they have been able to do so."
Premier Bintaro Hospital adopted the technology from China by inviting Tao Kun to demonstrate this surgery to the surgical doctors. This operation has already been conducted extensively in China.
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