The evolution of primary double-bundle ACL reconstruction and recovery of early post-operative range of motion

Range of Motion, Strength, and Function After ACL Reconstruction Using a Contralateral Patellar Tendon Graft

BACKGROUND

Regaining preinjury levels of activity and progressing rehabilitation factors after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have shown mixed results.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the timing and rate of return for knee range of motion (ROM), stability, strength, and subjective scores after ACL reconstruction with contralateral patellar tendon graft (PTG).

STUDY DESIGN

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

METHODS

Included were 2148 patients (1238 male patients, 910 female patients) who underwent primary ACL reconstruction with a contralateral PTG between 1995 and 2017 and had complete objective data through 3 months of follow-up. All patients participated in a rehabilitation program specific to goals for each knee. Patients were evaluated objectively with goniometric measurement of ROM, isokinetic quadriceps strength testing, and laxity with a KT-2000 arthrometer. Subjective data were collected at 2 and 5 years.

RESULTS

Normal extension on the reconstructed knee was attained for 95% of patients at 1 week postoperatively; normal flexion on the reconstructed knee was reached by 77% of patients by 3 months. At 3 months postoperatively, mean limb symmetry index strength was 104%, and the strength on the ACL-reconstructed and graft-donor knees was 87% and 86% of their respective preoperative strength. Mean manual maximum side-to-side difference in laxity was 2.0 mm at 1 month. Most patients (90%) returned to level 8 sports or higher and did so at an average of 5.7 months. Mean International Knee Documentation Committee scores for the ACL-reconstructed and graft-donor knees were 89 and 91 at 2 years (n = 1015 patients) and 84 and 90 at 5 years (n = 1275 patients), respectively. Mean Cincinnati Knee Rating Scale scores for the ACL-reconstructed and graft-donor knees were 92 and 96 at 2 years (n = 1184) and 88 and 94 at 5 years (n = 1236), respectively.

CONCLUSION

For patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with a contralateral PTG, postoperative ROM and strength were restored quickly by splitting the rehabilitation into different goals between the two knees. Using a contralateral PTG, this structured rehabilitation plan can lead to a relatively quick return to sport and good subjective long-term outcomes.

Double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction technique has advantages in chondroprotection and knee laxity control compared with single-bundle technique : A long-term follow-up with a minimum of 12 years

PURPOSE

To compare the long-term clinical outcomes of single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (SBR) and double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (DBR) in patients with isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, presenting no meniscus injury and no obvious preoperative cartilage degeneration.

METHODS

One hundred and three patients (38.6 ± 9.5 years) with a median follow-up of 151.6 months (range, 144-189 months) completed the retrospective study (SBR group: n = 51; DBR group: n = 52). Clinical outcomes were evaluated with physical examinations, KT-2000 anterior and posterior stability measurement with the knee in 30º of flexion, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score, Tegner score, Lysholm score; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (3.0 T) was performed, and International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) cartilage degeneration grades were determined. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors associated with cartilage degeneration.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in the pre- and postoperative IKDC, Lysholm and Tegner scores between the SBR and DBR groups. The SBR group had over double the rate of positive pressure/rub patellar test results (SBR vs DBR, 43.1% vs. 19.2%, p < 0.011). The KT-2000, pivot-shift and Lachman test results were stratified and analyzed, and significant differences between the SBR and DBR groups were found (p < 0.05, respectively). The distribution of ICRS grades differed significantly between the groups at the last follow-up (p = 0.013). A multivariate analysis found that age and operation procedures were significant predictors of 0 and non-0 ICRS grades (odds ratio, 6.077 [95% CI 2.117-17.447] and 0.210 [95% CI 0.068-0.654], respectively) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Both SBR and DBR achieved overall good long-term results. DBR had advantages in objective outcome measures and was superior in preventing the occurrence of cartilage degeneration. Age was identified as a preoperative risk factor for significant postoperative cartilage degeneration.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03984474.