Self-reported patient outcomes at a minimum of 5 years after allograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with or without medial meniscus transplantation: an age-, sex-, and activity level-matched comparison in patients aged approximately 50 years.
OBJECTIVE
Patient outcomes at a minimum of 5 years after medial meniscus transplantation and primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction via allograft tissues were compared with those of age-, sex-, and activity level-matched patients who underwent meniscal repair or partial meniscectomy and primary ACL reconstruction via allograft tissues.


METHODS
Eight patients (mean age, 51 +/- 5 years; three women and five men) at 5.5 +/- 0.5 years after medial meniscus transplantation and ACL reconstruction (group 1) and eight matched patients (mean age, 50 +/- 5 years; three women and five men) at 5.1 +/- 0.5 years after meniscal repair or partial meniscectomy and ACL reconstruction (group 2) completed the meniscus allograft clinical registry questionnaire, which combined the modified Lysholm knee scoring scale, the 1999 International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee evaluation, and the knee pain level score on a 10-cm visual analog scale.


RESULTS
Both groups displayed similar improvements in the modified Lysholm knee scoring scale components of pain, knee stability, squatting, stair climbing, and limping, as well as overall score (P < .05). Only group 2 displayed significant reductions in swelling. The groups displayed similar improvements in the 1999 International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee evaluation components of sitting, rising from a chair, running, jumping, and stopping quickly, as well as overall score (P < .05). They also displayed significant improvements in the visual analog scale knee pain level score; however, group 1, which displayed greater preoperative pain levels, had considerably larger reductions. Most group 1 patients (7/8 [87.5%]) and all group 2 patients (8/8 [100%]) considered their surgery to be a success and would undergo the same procedure again if necessary.


CONCLUSIONS
Although group 1 had greater preoperative knee pain levels, their pain levels at 5 years postoperatively were comparable to those in group 2. With the exception of swelling, comparable improvements were observed between groups for all other variables.


METHODS
Level III, retrospective, case-control study.
Rueff
Daniel
D
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Sports Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA.
Nyland
John
J
Kocabey
Yavuz
Y
Chang
Haw Chong
HC
Caborn
David N M
DN
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000637:transplantation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000637:transplantation*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation*; D013977:Tibia / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome