title: Prospective preoperative evaluation of anterior cruciate ligament instability of the knee joint and results of reconstruction with patellar ligament.
abstract: Of 54 patients with chronic (n = 49) or acute (n = 5) anterior cruciate ligament instability, 52 were evaluated after mean 16 months' follow-up interval after open (n = 18) or arthroscopic assisted (n = 36) bone-tendon-bone patellar ligament reconstruction. Preoperative Knee Signature System side-to-side difference in anterior displacement decreased from 7.9 mm to 3.5 min at follow-up evaluation (p < 0.0001). An objectively satisfactory limit of 5 mm in side-to-side difference was achieved in 73% of the patients. At follow-up evaluation, there was a positive pivot shift sign in eight knees (one definite and seven trace). Average Lysholm knee scores improved from 69 to 83. The only significant difference between the arthroscopic assisted and open groups was smaller side-to-side anterior displacement difference in the arthroscopic group (2.2 mm versus 4.8 mm, p = 0.002). Results suggest that more accurate and isometric placement of the graft is possible with the arthroscopic-assisted technique.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic hospital of the Invalid Foundation, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harilainen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandelin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Osterman
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vanhanen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular