Double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: No differences between two types of autografts in isolated or combined lesions

Abstract

BackgroundTo demonstrate and compare results obtained with the transtibial double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction technique using two types of autografts in isolated and combined PCL lesions. MethodsFifty-two patients with isolated or combined PCL injuries underwent double-bundle PCL reconstruction and were retrospectively evaluated. Among them, 34 were reconstructed using ipsilateral quadriceps and semitendinosus tendon grafts, and 18 were reconstructed using bilateral hamstring tendon grafts. The criteria for outcome evaluation were: objective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Lysholm score, posterior stability (posterior drawer test and KT-1000TM), and rate of complications, comparing the two types of grafts and comparing isolated PCL and combined lesions. The minimum follow-up was two years. ResultsSignificant improvements were found in all evaluation methods between the pre- and postoperative periods (all P < .05), with no observed differences between the graft type that was used (all P > .05). The whole sample had the following results: objective IKDC score, 96.2% classified as A/B; Lysholm score, 98.1% rated as good or excellent; and KT-1000, 98.1% with a side-to-side difference of up to five millimeters (65.4% with 0 to two millimeters). The complication rate was 9.6%, with no differences between the graft type that was used (P = .585). No significant difference was observed when comparing the results between isolated PCL injuries and combined injuries (all P > .05). ConclusionsThe proposed PCL reconstruction technique presented satisfactory results in both isolated and combined PCL lesions, and there were no differences between different types of autografts used. Level of evidenceLevel III.