title: Knee stability after posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in female versus male patients: a prospective matched-group analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze outcome differences after posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction in male and female patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective database of 234 PCL reconstructions (53 female and 181 male patients) with either isolated or combined procedures was analyzed. Patients were followed up for a mean of 62 months (range, 34 to 110 months) by use of stress radiography and the International Knee Documentation Committee score. We included 32 female patients for a matched-group analysis and compared them with 32 matching male patients. Matching parameters were number/type of reconstructed ligaments, revision/primary surgery, autograft/allograft use, preoperative tibial displacement, time interval from injury to surgery, follow-up interval, and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no preoperative difference in posterior stress radiographs (12.9 ± 3.0 mm in female patients and 13.2 ± 2.3 mm in male patients). After surgery, both groups showed a significant reduction in posterior displacement (6.0 ± 2.5 mm [54% reduction] in female patients and 7.8 ± 2.2 mm [40% reduction] in male patients). There was a significant greater reduction of posterior laxity in female patients. International Knee Documentation Committee scoring showed a significant improvement in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found in this specific patient series a superior reduction of posterior tibial laxity in female patients compared with male patients, indicating that possible gender-related differences exist after PCL surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level III, retrospective comparative study using prospective data.
authors.affiliation: Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy Service, Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité University of Medicine, Berlin, Germany. tobias.jung@charite.de
authors.forename: Tobias M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lubowicki
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wienand
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weiler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D016119:Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012086:Reoperation; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome