"A&E - Misdiagnosed ruptured ACL"

Following a sports injury, I was certain I had done some serious damage to my knee and immediately went to A&E. The receptionist was very helpful and the waiting time was better than expected. When I was seen, I fully explained details of the incident including that the knee had twisted, audiably crunched and given way. I specifically wanted to know whether I had damaged my knee ligaments. I was assured that this was not the case and that it was just a bad sprain and would be playing sports within a week or two. I quizzed as to what the crunching noise was and definitively told it could be some cartilage damage and go to your GP if you get knee locking. The staff stated that if I had done any ligament damage I wouldn't be able to walk/hobble. The time spent examining my knee was very brief and quickly diagnosed without any form of scan.

After no improvement within 3 months, I visited my GP who assessed it was likely ligament damage. I immediately sought specialist advice. During my initial consultation and examination I gave exactly the same information as that given to the A&E and immediately the specialist said that it sounded like a classic ACL rupture and sent me straight for an MRI scan. Following the MRI scan, I have now been diagnosed with a completly ruptured ACL and will require reconstructive surgery.

I am extremely concerned with the quality of care given at A&E. I feel my health has been put at risk and could have caused further damage due to the misdiagnosis and incorrect advise given.

This was an obvious case of ACL damage and should have been assessed correctly, erring on the side of caution.