[Results 13 years after ACL plasty using a carbon prosthesis].
OBJECTIVE
The retrospective results of carbon prostheses for ACL plasty from 1985 to 1989 are reported. The aim of this study was to determine the number and kind of necessary revisions and the rate of arthrosis and instability of the operated joints.


METHODS
101 patients out of 136 patients with ACL plasty using a carbon prosthesis could be reviewed clinically in this retrospective study. All patients answered a questionnaire. Additionally, the tibial translation was examined with the KT1000 at maximum power. Conventional X-rays were taken of the knee joints. The results were evaluated using different scores.


RESULTS
70 % of the patients had pathological findings in the clinically tested tibial translation and had a positive Lachmann sign. 66 patients had a tibial translation of 2 mm or above when tested with the KT1000 at maximum power. Radiological studies had shown a gonarthrosis of grades III and IV in 93 patients. An average of 77 points was found using the Lysholm score.


CONCLUSIONS
The results 13.5 years after ACL plasty using a carbon prosthesis are unsatisfactory concerning joint stability and development of secondary arthrosis. There is a discrepancy between the results of the clinical tests and the subjective complaints of the patients.
von Lübken
F
F
Abteilung für Unfallchirurgie, Chirurgische Klinik, Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Ulm.
Farhoumand
R
R
Schwarz
W
W
Gerngross
H
H
Willy
C
C
Friemert
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002244:Carbon; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007720:Knee Prosthesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002244:Carbon