title: Objective factors affecting overall subjective evaluation of recovery after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
abstract: The goal of this prospective study was to determine how objective measurements affect the overall subjective evaluation of recovery after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and to evaluate the effects of graft material, residual instability and sporting activity on patient satisfaction. Ninety-seven patients with unilateral ACL injuries whose ACL was reconstructed using either a multi-strand semitendinosus (ST) graft or a central-third bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) graft were followed for an average of 30 months. An "overall subjective recovery score" was derived from the patients' evaluation of function of the operated knee as a percentage of the unoperated knee. The mean overall subjective recovery score at follow-up was 80% (range, 20% to 100%). This study strongly suggested that integrity of the knee extension mechanism, that is, good recovery of knee extension strength with achievement of full extension and no problems in the patellofemoral joint, is the most important factor in patient satisfaction after ACL reconstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muneta
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sekiya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogiuchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yagishita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinomiya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000503:physiopathology; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000637:transplantation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome