International Knee Documentation Committee Grade Research Articles

Outcomes After Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

To identify the risk factors predicting unsatisfactory postoperative clinical outcomes after double-bundle (DB) anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using multivariate logistic regression. Inclusion criteria were consecutive DB ACL reconstructions from January 2006 to September 2012 with a minimum 3-year follow-up. Exclusion criteria included (1) a delay to surgery from initial injury of more than 4years (210weeks); (2) contralateral knee pathology; (3) the lack of postoperative 3-dimensional computed tomography; (4) single-bundle ACL reconstruction; (5) revision ACL reconstruction; (6) meniscus allograft transplantation after total or subtotal meniscectomy; (7) multiple ligament surgeries. According to the overall International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) rating at the last follow-up, we sorted all enrolled subjects into superior (IKDC grade A or B) and inferior outcome groups (IKDC grade C or D). Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors, including age, gender, body mass index, time from injury to surgery, posterior tibial slope, notch width index, cartilage injury, meniscus injury, and femoral and tibial tunnel positions. In comparison between the superior outcome group (n= 240) and inferior outcome group (n= 50), anterior (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.902, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.846-0.962) or distal (adjusted OR: 1.025, 95% CI: 1.006-1.060) femoral anteromedial tunnel position was a significant risk factor for the inferior outcomes. Partial meniscectomy of medial (adjusted OR: 49.002, 95% CI: 7.047-340.717) or lateral (adjusted OR: 14.974, 95% CI: 2.181-102.790) meniscus and delayed time from injury to surgery (adjusted OR: 1.062, 95% CI: 1.023-1.102) were also a significant predictor. Anterior or distal anteromedial femoral tunnel position, partial meniscectomy of medial or lateral meniscus, and prolonged surgical delay of more than 11.5weeks from injury were significant risk factors for the inferior clinical outcomes after DB ACL reconstruction. Level III, retrospective therapeutic case series.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in skeletally immature patients : a systematic review.

Different methods of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have been described for skeletally immature patients before closure of the growth plates. However, the outcome and complications following this treatment remain unclear. The aim of this systematic review was to analyse the outcome and complications of different techniques which may be used for reconstruction of the ACL in these patients. We performed a systematic review of the literature according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. This involved a comprehensive search of PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase and Google Scholar databases using the following combinations of keywords, "knee", "anterior cruciate ligament", "reconstruction", "injury", "children", "adolescent", "skeletally immature", "open physis" and "surgery". A total of 53 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included for analysis. The overall rate of disturbance of growth after ACL reconstruction was 2.6%, with no statistical difference between transphyseal and physeal-sparing techniques. Physeal-sparing techniques had a lower rate of post-operative complications compared with transphyseal techniques (p = 0.0045). Outcomes assessed were Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, the IKDC grade, the Tegner score and the KT-1000. Both techniques had similar clinical outcomes. This review reveals low rates of disturbance of growth after ACL reconstruction in skeletally immature patients. Although limited, the available evidence did not support any particular surgical technique when considering disturbance of growth or clinical outcome. Further randomised controlled trials are needed to investigate the efficacy of differing surgical techniques on outcomes in skeletally immature patients. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:1053-60.

A Randomized Trial Comparing Patellar, Hamstring and Double-bundle ACL Reconstruction at 5-yrs

Objectives:This prospective, double-blind RCT compares ACL reconstruction using patellar tendon, quadruple hamstring and double-bundle hamstring grafts, by measuring patient-reported disease-specific quality of life outcome in patients with isolated ACL deficiency of the knee at a 5-years post-op.Methods:Patients (n=330; 183 males, 147 females) aged 14-50 years were randomly allocated and equally distributed to one of three anatomic ACL autograft reconstruction techniques: 1) Patellar Tendon (PT; mean age 28.7 years), 2) Quadruple-stranded Hamstring Tendon (HT; mean age 28.5 years), or 3) Double-Bundle using hamstring tendons (DB; mean age 28.3 years). Computer-generated allocation with varied block randomization was performed intra-operatively. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months, 1, 2 and 5 years. Two-year results were previously reported. Primary outcome: Anterior Cruciate Ligament Quality-of-Life (ACL-QOL). Secondary outcomes: International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score and objective grades, pivot shift, range of motion, kneeling pain, Tegner activity level, and the Cincinnati Occupational Rating Scale. The proportion of re-ruptures, partial re-ruptures and the combined total traumatic re-injuries were compared. Radiographic evaluation was performed at baseline, 2 and 5 years; this analysis is ongoing. A 5% significance level was used for all outcomes.Results:315 randomized patients (95%) d 5-yr follow-up. There were 4 withdrawals and 11 patients lost-to-follow-up. Baseline characteristics between the groups were not different. ACL-QOL scores increased significantly from baseline over time for all groups (p=0.000). There was no difference in mean ACL-QOL score at 5-years (p=0.548): PT=82.5 (SD 17.9, 95% CI 79.0-86.0); HT=83.9 (SD 18.2, 95% CI 80.3-87.4); DB=81.1 (SD 19.3, 95% CI 77.4-84.8). At 5-years, there were no differences in the proportion of patients with a Pivot Shift grade 2 or greater (p=0.106): PT=11/98 (11%); HT=16/99 (16%); DB=23/103 (22%). Mean IKDC subjective scores were not different between groups at 5-yrs (p=0.770): PT=83.9 (SD 12.9, 95% CI = 81.4-86.5); HT=85.2 (SD 13.0, 95% CI = 82.7-87.7); DB=84.3 (SD 13.4, 95% CI = 81.7-86.9). Based on IKDC objective grades, the proportions of Normal/Nearly Normal knees at 5-years were not different between groups: PT=85/98 (87%); HT=82/99 (81%); DB=75/103 (76%), p=0.093. 5-yr Tegner activity levels and Cincinnati Occupational Scores were also not different between the groups (p=0.872 and p=0.813, respectively). Kneeling pain remained more common in the PT group (PT=10/98; HT 4/98; DB 2/101; p=0.029). More traumatic graft ruptures occurred in the HT and DB groups (PT=4/103; HT=11/105; DB=11/107; p=0.145). Revision ACL reconstructions were performed on 22 of these patients. There were an additional 11 partial graft re-ruptures (PT=0; HT=5; DB=6), with less total traumatic re-injuries in the patellar tendon group (PT=4; HT=16 and DB=17, p=0.010). Four patients had additional surgery to the index knee, not including the revision surgery between the 2 and 5-yr follow-up.Conclusion:At 5 years, there was no difference in disease-specific quality-of-life outcome or IKDC grades between the PT, HT and DB techniques for ACL reconstruction. There were significantly more traumatic graft re-injuries in the HT and DB groups compared to the PT group.

What Is the Mid-term Failure Rate of Revision ACL Reconstruction? A Systematic Review

When anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction fails, a revision procedure may be performed to improve knee function, correct instability, and allow return to activities. The results of revision ACL reconstruction have been reported to produce good but inferior patient-reported and objective outcomes compared with primary ACL reconstruction, but the degree to which this is the case varies widely among published studies and may be influenced by heterogeneity of patients, techniques, and endpoints assessed. For those reasons, a systematic review may provide important insights. In a systematic review, we asked: (1) What is the proportion of revision ACL reconstruction cumulative failures defined as rerupture or objective failure using prespecified clinical criteria at mean followup of at least 5years? (2) What are the most common complications of revision ACL reconstruction? A systematic review was performed by searching PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, and CENTRAL. We included studies that reported the clinical evaluation of revision ACL reconstruction with Lachman test, pivot shift test, side-to-side difference with KT-1000/2000 arthrometer, and with a mean followup of at least 5years. We excluded studies that incompletely reported these outcomes, that reported only reruptures, or that were not in the English language. Extracted data included the number of graft reruptures and objective clinical failure, defined as a knee that met one of the following endpoints: Lachman test Grade II to III, pivot shift Grade II to III, KT-1000/2000>5-mm difference, or International Knee Documentation Committee Grade C or D. For each study, we determined the proportion of patients who had experienced a rupture of the revision ACL graft as well as the proportion of patients who met one or more of our clinical failure endpoints. Those proportions were summed for each study to generate a percentage of patients who met our definition of cumulative failure. Complications and reoperations were recorded but not pooled as a result of inconsistency of reporting and heterogeneity of populations across the included studies. Of the 663 screened studies, 15 articles were included in the systematic review. Because one study reported two separate groups of patients with different treatments, 16 case series were considered in the evaluation. The proportion of reruptures (range, 0%-25%) was>5% in only four of 16 series and>10% in only one of them. The objective clinical failures (range, 0%-82%) was>5% in 15 of 16 series and>10% in 12 of them. The proportion exceeded 20% in five of 16 series. The cumulative failures (range, 0%-83%) was>5% in all except one series and>10% in 12 of 16 series; five series had a cumulative failure proportion>20%. The most frequent complications were knee stiffness and anterior knee pain, whereas reoperations were primarily débridement and meniscectomies. Considering rerupture alone as a failure endpoint in patients who have undergone revision ACL reconstruction likely underestimates the real failure rate, because the percentage of failures noticeably increases when objective criteria are also considered. Whether patient-reported and subjective scores evaluating knee function, level of activity, satisfaction, and pain might also contribute to the definition of failure may be the focus of future studies. Level IV, therapeutic study.

Management of Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tibial Avulsion Injuries: A Systematic Review

Background: Tibial-sided avulsion injuries of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) generally require surgical intervention. No consensus exists concerning the optimal surgical treatment approach for these injuries. Purpose: To perform a systematic review investigating the open and arthroscopic surgical treatment modalities, outcomes, and complications of PCL tibial-sided bony avulsions. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: The authors performed a systematic review of the literature utilizing PubMed and EMBASE from 1975 to present outlining open versus arthroscopic surgical repair of PCL bony avulsion injuries and comparing subjective and objective postoperative patient-reported outcomes, including Tegner, IKDC (International Knee Documentation Committee), and Lysholm scoring systems, as well as rates of patient complications. The quest was performed in June 2016, and searched terms included posterior cruciate ligament, PCL, bony, avulsion(s), tibial-sided, open, and arthroscopic. Inclusion criteria included English-language studies involving surgical fixation strategies for PCL tibial-sided bony avulsions. Exclusion criteria included non-English language, case studies/case series, and subject matter not pertaining to PCL bony avulsions. Results: Twenty-eight articles comprising 637 patients met the criteria and were included in the final review. PCL injuries with a tibial-sided avulsion were the result of motor vehicle accidents in 68.4% of patients, with 59.0% of these injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents. The arthroscopic group had better IKDC grade A scores (78.9%), indicating a normal knee postoperatively, as compared with the open group (65.9%). The postoperative Lysholm scores were similar between the groups, with a mean of 95.0 in the arthroscopic group and 92.8 in the open group. The arthroscopic group also reported 100% return to preinjury level of activity, compared with 86.2% in the open group. The most common complication in both groups was arthrofibrosis, which was reported more often in the arthroscopic group (0%-35%) versus the open treatment group (0%-25%). Conclusion: In patients with displaced tibial-sided PCL avulsion fractures treated operatively, surgical approaches render similar outcomes and risks. While the arthroscopic group had somewhat higher subjective and objective knee outcome scores, it demonstrated a slightly higher rate of arthrofibrosis. The clear advantage of the arthroscopic approach is that concomitant intra-articular injuries seen on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging, such as meniscal tears or osteochondral loose fragments, can be addressed at the time of the index operation.

Remnant preservation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction versus standard techniques: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Preserving the remnant during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is considered beneficial for graft healing, but it might increase the technical difficulties and complications. This study was to compare outcomes of using the technique of remnant preservation during the ACL reconstruction versus the standard procedure with the debridement of remnant. We searched PubMed and EMBASE and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials comparing the outcomes of ACL reconstruction both with and without remnant preservation. The risk of bias was assessed in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Meta-analysis was performed to compare results. Six randomized controlled trials with 346 patients were included. Statistically significant differences in favor of using technique of remnant preservation were observed for Lysholm Score, arthrometer measurements, and tibial tunnel enlargement. There was no significant difference between remnant technique of preservation and the standard procedure with respect to the IKDC (International Knee Documentation Committee) grade, IKDC score, Lachman Test, Pivot-shift Test, range of motion (ROM), and the incidence of the cyclops lesion. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials showed that ACL reconstruction with technique of remnant preservation cannot provide superior clinical outcomes compared with the standard procedure.

Is There Any Benefit in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Patients Older Than 60 Years?

Background: Results of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are traditionally excellent in younger and nonarthritic patients. During the past few decades, people older than 60 years have become more active than ever, with more demanding physical lifestyles. An increase also has been noted in active patients with diagnosed ACL injuries. More patients are requesting treatment for ACL deficiency in hopes of returning to preinjury levels of activity. Purpose: The aims of this study were to evaluate the results of ACL reconstruction in patients older than 60 years in terms of functional recovery, return to sports, and postoperative incidence of osteoarthritis and to compare their results with published results of different age groups. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Consecutive patients older than 60 years with isolated ACL tear and no established osteoarthritic lesions (Ahlbäck grade 1 or no arthritis) who were treated from 2008 to 2013 were retrospectively included in this study. Primary ACL reconstruction was performed with the same technique in all patients by means of single-bundle autologous hamstring tendon graft. Meniscal injuries were treated with partial debridement when required. No further treatment on cartilage lesions was performed. Postoperative rehabilitation was the same in every case. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) objective grade, Lysholm score, and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were assessed before and after surgery, and the Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) score was recorded during the final follow-up. Postoperative incidence of osteoarthritis was evaluated on weightbearing radiographs during final follow-up, and anteroposterior laxity was measured pre- and postoperatively with the use of stress radiographs. Results: Twelve patients with mean age (±SD) of 61.0 ± 1.4 years at the time of surgery were included. They were followed-up for a mean period of 49.6 ± 24.0 months. Eight patients had associated meniscal tears, and 6 patients had International Cartilage Repair Society stage 1 or 2 chondral lesions. Preoperatively, the objective IKDC grades were B in 4 patients, C in 5, and D in 3. After surgery, the IKDC grades were A in 4 patients, B in 7, and grade C in 1. The mean subjective IKDC and Lysholm scores were a respective 43.4 ± 8.4 and 55.7 ± 12.4 preoperatively and 83.8 ± 9.4 and 93.2 ± 9.0 at the final follow-up (P < .05). Ten patients (83%) reported recovery of sports activities, with 6 patients (50%) reaching the same level as before injury. The mean ACL-RSI score was 76.2%. Preoperatively, 50% (n = 6) of patients had Ahlbäck stage 1 medial compartment arthritis, versus 58% (n = 7) at the final follow-up (P = nonsignificant). The side-to-side difference in anterior tibial translation on stress radiographs was 7.2 ± 6.4 mm preoperatively and 1.9 ± 4.3 mm postoperatively (P < .05). No major complications were reported. Conclusion: ACL reconstruction in active patients older than 60 years without arthritis restored knee stability in all treated cases. In these patients, as in younger age groups, ACL reconstruction showed good results on functional recovery while not increasing the risk of midterm functional knee deterioration or evolution of knee arthritis. The majority of patients returned to activities at their preinjury level. These data show that older and active patients with nonarthritic ACL-deficient knees need not be excluded from surgical treatment.

Outcome of Patellar Tendon Versus 4-Strand Hamstring Tendon Autografts for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prospective Randomized Trials

To compare clinical outcomes of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and investigate whether the clinical results of 4-strand hamstring tendon (HT) reconstruction are still inferior to that of the patellar tendon (PT). We performed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of the English literature on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane register for papers that compared clinical outcomes of PT versus HT for ACL reconstruction. Outcome measures analyzed included rate of rerupture, KT-1000, International Knee Documentation Committee grade, Lachman, pivot shift, Lysholm score, Tegner Activity Scale, anterior knee pain, and discomfort on kneeling. We included 19 studies from an initial 1,168 abstracts for the systematic review, and, eventually, 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The study population consisted of a total of 1784 patients. The average follow-up duration was 58.8months. We found significant differences in favor of the HT technique in the domains of anterior knee pain, kneeling pain, and restriction in the range of active extension ("extension deficit"). We found no differences between the PT and HT technique in terms of rerupture rate. There were no clinically significant differences for the outcomes of Lysholm score and Tegner Activity Scale as well as the KT-1000 side-to-side at maximum manual force. Contemporary 4-strand HT ACL reconstruction is comparable with the PT technique in terms of clinical stability and postoperative functional status across most parameters studied. The HT technique carries lower risk of postoperative complications such as anterior knee pain, kneeling discomfort, and extension deficit. Primary ACL reconstruction using the 4-strand HT technique achieves clinical results that are comparable with the PT technique with significantly less postoperative complications. Level I, systemic review and meta-analysis of Level I studies.

The Bridge-Enhanced Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair (BEAR) Procedure: An Early Feasibility Cohort Study.

Background:This study assessed the safety of the newly developed bridge-enhanced anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair (BEAR), which involves suture repair of the ligament combined with a bioactive scaffold to bridge the gap between the torn ligament ends. As the intra-articular environment is complex in its response to implanted materials, this study was designed to determine whether there would be a significant rate of adverse reaction to the implanted scaffold.Hypothesis:The primary hypothesis was that the implanted scaffold would not result in a deep joint infection (arthrocentesis with positive culture) or significant inflammation (clinical symptoms justifying arthrocentesis but negative culture). The secondary hypotheses were that patients treated with BEAR would have early postoperative outcomes that were similar to patients treated with ACL reconstruction with an autologous hamstring graft.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.Methods:A total of 20 patients were enrolled in this nonrandomized, first-in-human study. Ten patients received BEAR treatment and 10 received a hamstring autograft ACL reconstruction. The BEAR procedure was performed by augmenting a suture repair with a proprietary scaffold, the BEAR scaffold, placed in between the torn ends of the ACL at the time of suture repair. The BEAR scaffold is to our knowledge the only device that fills the gap between the torn ligament ends to have current Investigational Device Exemption approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Ten milliliters of autologous whole blood were added to the scaffold prior to wound closure. Outcomes were assessed at 3 months postoperatively. The outcomes measures included postoperative pain, muscle atrophy, loss of joint range of motion, and implant failure (designated by an International Knee Documentation Committee grade C or D Lachman test and/or an absence of continuous ACL tissue on magnetic resonance images).Results:There were no joint infections or signs of significant inflammation in either group. There were no differences between groups in effusion or pain, and no failures by Lachman examination criteria (BEAR, 8 grade A and 2 grade B; ACL reconstruction, 10 grade A). Magnetic resonance images from all of the BEAR and ACL-reconstructed patients demonstrated a continuous ACL or intact graft. In addition, hamstring strength at 3 months was significantly better in the BEAR group than in the hamstring autograft group (mean ± SD: 77.9% ± 14.6% vs 55.9% ± 7.8% of the contralateral side; P < .001).Conclusion:The results of this study suggest that the BEAR procedure may have a rate of adverse reactions low enough to warrant a study of efficacy in a larger group of patients.

Effect of High-Grade Preoperative Knee Laxity on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Outcomes

Background: Knee laxity in the setting of suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is frequently assessed through physical examination using the Lachman, pivot-shift, and anterior drawer tests. The degree of laxity noted on these examinations may influence treatment decisions and prognosis. Hypothesis: Increased preoperative knee laxity would be associated with increased risk of subsequent revision ACL reconstruction and worse patient-reported outcomes 2 years postoperatively. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: From an ongoing prospective cohort study, 2333 patients who underwent primary isolated ACL reconstruction without collateral or posterior cruciate ligament injury were identified. Patients reported by the operating surgeons as having an International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) grade D for Lachman, anterior drawer, or pivot-shift examination were classified as having high-grade laxity. Multiple logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate whether having high-grade preoperative laxity was associated with increased odds of undergoing revision ACL reconstruction within 2 years of the index procedure, controlling for patient age, sex, Marx activity level, level of competition, and graft type. Multiple linear regression modeling was used to evaluate whether having high-grade preoperative laxity was associated with worse IKDC score or Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Knee-Related Quality of Life subscale (KOOS-QOL) scores at a minimum 2 years postoperatively, controlling for baseline score, patient age, ethnicity, sex, body mass index, marital status, smoking status, sport participation, competition level, Marx activity rating score, graft type, and articular cartilage and meniscus status. Results: Pre-reconstruction laxity data were available for 2325 patients (99.7%). Two-year revision data were available for 2259 patients (96.8%), and patient-reported outcomes were available for 1979 patients (84.8%). High-grade preoperative laxity was noted in 743 patients (31.9%). The mean postoperative IKDC score was 81.8 ± 15.9, and the mean KOOS-QOL score was 72.0 ± 22.0. The presence of high-grade pre-reconstruction laxity was associated with significantly increased odds of ACL graft revision (odds ratio [OR] = 1.87 [95% CI, 1.19-2.95]; P = .007). The presence of high-grade pre-reconstruction laxity was not associated with any difference in postoperative IKDC (β = −0.56, P = .44) or KOOS-QOL (β = 0.04, P = .97). Conclusion: The presence of high-grade pre-reconstruction knee laxity as assessed by manual physical examination under anesthesia is associated with significantly increased odds of revision ACL surgery but has no association with patient-reported outcome scores at 2 years after ACL reconstruction.

Does Age Influence the Risk of Incident Knee Osteoarthritis After a Traumatic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury?

Background: The development of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture has long been studied and proven in the adolescent population. However, similar exhaustive investigations have not been conducted in mature-aged athletes or in older populations. Purpose: To identify whether an older adult population had an increased risk of incident radiographic knee OA after a traumatic knee injury compared with a young adult population. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Patients with ACL ruptures who underwent primary reconstruction were enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal single-center study over 15 years. The adult cohort was defined as participants aged ≥35 years who had a knee injury resulting in an ACL tear, the adolescent-young cohort suffered similar knee injuries and were aged ≤25 years, and a third cohort of participants aged 26 to 34 years who suffered a knee injury was included to identify the existence of any age-related dose-response relationship for the onset of radiographic knee OA. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was employed to determine the occurrence of incident radiographic OA across the study populations at 2, 5, 10, and 15 years after reconstruction. Significance at each time point was analyzed using chi-square tests. Results: A total of 215 patients, including 112 adolescents (mean age, 20.4 years; 50.9% female), 71 patients aged 26 to 34 years (mean age, 29.2 years; 42.3% female), and 32 adults (mean age, 40.2 years; 59.4% female), were assessed for International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) grading on knee radiographs. It was found that 53.0% and 77.8% of adults at a respective 10 and 15 years after reconstruction had an IKDC grade of B or greater compared with 17.7% and 61.6% of the adolescent-young cohort. Chi-square testing found that adults developed OA earlier than adolescents at 5 and 10 years after reconstruction (P = .017 and P < .0001, respectively). However, survival analysis did not demonstrate that adults were more likely to develop radiographic knee OA at 15 years after reconstruction compared with the adolescent-young cohort (P = .4). Conclusion: The age at which an ACL injury is sustained does not appear to influence the rate of incident radiographic knee OA, although mature-aged athletes are likely to arrive at the OA endpoint sooner.

Arthroscopic Suture Pull-Out Fixation of Displaced Tibial Spine Avulsion Fracture.

The aim of this study is to assess the clinical and radiological outcomes of arthroscopic reduction and fixation of tibial spine avulsion in patients with either open physis or closed physis, using high strength nonabsorbable sutures utilizing intravenous cannula needle as suture passer and retriever. Twenty-six patients of mean age 24.5 years were included in the study with a mean follow-up period of 31 months. Twelve patients had McKeever type III avulsion fracture and 14 had type IV. A follow-up analysis was performed using fracture union time, range of motion assessment, and Lysholm and IKDC (International Knee Documentation Committee) scores with instrumental (KT-1000 arthrometer) laxity assessment. All avulsion fractures showed union at the end of a 3-month follow-up. Mean (± standard deviation [SD]) postoperative Lysholm and IKDC subjective scores were 97.7 (± 3.62, range, 89-100) and 95.55 (± 4.21, 82.8-100), respectively. All patients were graded IKDC grade A except one with grade B. The Lysholm score of open physis group was better than the closed physis group (99.6 vs. 96.5, p < 0.03), whereas IKDC scores of open versus closed physis group (both subjective and objective) and type III and IV McKeever groups did not reveal any statistical difference. KT-1000 assessment revealed mean (± SD) anterior translation of the tibia as 0.85 (±0.9) mm. At the final follow-up, all patients achieved complete range of movement with no symptom of instability. Two patients underwent adhesiolysis for postoperative stiffness in their knee at 4th month postoperatively. Arthroscopic suture pull-out fixation for type III and IV tibial spine avulsion results in excellent clinical and radiological outcomes in patient with open and closed physis without any significant complications. This is a prospective case series with level of evidence IV.

Prevalence of Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, With or Without Meniscectomy: An Evidence-Based Practice Article.

What is the prevalence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) at a mean follow-up equal to or greater than 10 years after autologous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, with or without meniscectomy? The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines were used to conduct this meta-analysis. Studies were identified by searching PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library dating from their earliest file until October 2010. Key terms applied for searching were anterior cruciate ligament or ACL, autologous, follow-up, long-term, outcome, reconstruction, results, treatment, and (osteo)arthritis or osteoarthrosis. The reference lists of included studies were also manually checked to ensure that relevant articles were not omitted. The authors limited their search to English- and French-language journals. Included studies provided radiographic outcomes after autologous ACL reconstruction and had a mean follow-up of ≥10 years. Excluded studies evaluated ACL reconstruction with major concomitant surgical procedures (eg, meniscal allograft transplantation, high tibial osteotomy). In addition, data from 2 studies completed by the same research team with identical patient populations were limited to the article with the longest follow-up. Finally, manuscripts with inaccurate or incomplete data were excluded. The following key characteristics of each study were extracted: type of study (prospective or retrospective); ACL surgical procedure (eg, open or arthroscopic bone-patellar tendon-bone graft); time frame of surgery; mean follow-up (in years) post-ACL reconstruction; total number of participants with radiographs; total number of participants with radiographic OA at follow-up; and number of participants with meniscectomy before, during, or after ACL reconstruction. Although the OA diagnosis was based on radiographic criteria, the included studies used 4 OA classifications and grading scales: Ahlbäck, Fairbanks, Kellgren and Lawrence, and International Knee Documentation Committee. Regardless of classification or grading scale, OA was defined as the presence of joint-space narrowing: Ahlbäck grades 1 through 5, modified Fairbanks grades 2 and 3, Kellgren and Lawrence ≥2, and International Knee Documentation Committee grades C and D. Tibiofemoral and patellofemoral OA data were collapsed due to the lack of reporting specificity among the studies. Participants were categorized into a meniscectomy or nonmeniscectomy group if this information was reported. Partial or total meniscectomies before, during, or after ACL reconstruction were collapsed regardless of location (medial or lateral compartment), and those patients who underwent a meniscal repair were grouped into the nonmeniscectomy group. Data were analyzed using odds ratios, the Cochran χ2 test, and a random-effects meta-regression analysis. The DerSimonian and Laird approach was used to assess study heterogeneity. P values below .05 were considered statistically significant. The initial computerized database search resulted in 211 possible studies. However, after the authors applied the inclusionary and exclusionary criteria, only 16 studies were relevant. A total of 1554 participants were available at the follow-up period. Mean follow-up ranged from 10 to 24.5 years; 11 of the 16 articles had a mean follow-up between 10 and 12 years. Heterogeneity was large (I2 = 96%), which indicated that the included studies generated a wide range of knee OA prevalence (2%-79%). Almost 28% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 16.3%, 43.5%) of participants had radiographic knee OA. A total of 1264 participants were involved in studies that evaluated meniscectomies (n = 11). Among the 614 participants with either partial or total meniscectomies, 50.4% had radiographic knee OA (95% CI = 27.4%, 73.1%). In contrast, only 16.4% (95% CI = 7.0%, 33.9%) of those without a meniscectomy had radiographic knee OA. The findings of Claes et al reflected a radiographic knee OA prevalence at a minimum average of 10 years' postautologous ACL reconstruction that was lower than commonly perceived (up to 79%). In addition, meniscectomy was an important risk factor (3.54-fold increase) for developing OA after ACL reconstruction.

Results of multiple ligament injured knees operated by three different strategies.

Background:Multiple ligament injured knee is generally described for a scenario when at least 2 of the 4 major ligaments are ruptured. The most effective treatment for these injuries remains controversial. This study presents the clinical outcome of 3 surgical strategies based on personalized treatment.Materials and Methods:Thirty two patients with multiple ligament injured knee were treated by 3 surgical strategies in the acute phase. (1) One-stage: Twelve patients treated by repair and reconstruction of all ruptured ligaments in a single operation. (2) Staged: Eleven patients treated by repair or reconstruction of the extraarticular (EA) ligaments and then intraarticular ligaments in 2nd stage. (3) EA ligament repair: Nine patients underwent only EA ligaments repair.Results:The patients were followed up for an average of 34.7 ± 12.1 months. Significant improvements in knee stabilities (P < 0.01), Lysholm score (P < 0.01) and International Knee Documentation Committee grade (P < 0.01) were noticed in all groups. Of the 32 patients, none had gross mal alignment or gait abnormalities at the latest followup. Comparing the 3 groups, a significant difference in Lysholm score was shown between the one stage group and the EA repair group (P = 0.040); additionally, significant differences were found in 2 subscales of knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (P < 0.05).Conclusion:Satisfactory clinical and functional outcomes could be achieved adopting the 3 surgical strategies based on personalized treatment. However, a combination of EA repair and intraarticular repair or reconstruction might be more reasonable options for the young and active patients.

Factors Associated With High-Grade Lachman, Pivot Shift, and Anterior Drawer at the Time of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

To determine which patient and injury factors are associated with the detection of high-grade laxity on examination under anesthesia before anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. We identified 2,318 patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction without associated ligament injuries. Demographic data and information regarding meniscal tears were collected. Patients with high-grade Lachman (difference from contralateral side >10mm), pivot-shift (International Knee Documentation Committee grade 3+), or anterior drawer (difference from contralateral side >10mm) tests were identified by physical examination under anesthesia before ACL reconstruction. Logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate whether chronicity of the ACL injury, patient age, sex, body mass index, generalized ligamentous laxity, and presence of meniscal tears were associated with increased odds of high-grade laxity, while we controlled for examining surgeon. Patients with chronic tears (>6months from injury) had greater than twice the odds of having high-grade Lachman, pivot-shift, and anterior drawer tests(all P < .001) relative to patients with acute tears (<3months from injury). Generalized ligamentous laxity (odds ratio [OR], 2.33; P < .001) and the presence of medial (OR, 1.63; P < .001) or lateral (OR, 1.41; P= .013) meniscus tears were associated with increased odds of a high-grade Lachman test. Age younger than 20years (OR, 1.34; P= .023), female sex (OR, 1.49; P= .001), generalized ligamentous laxity (OR, 3.46; P < .001), and the presence of a medial (OR, 1.53; P < .001) or lateral (OR, 1.27; P= .041) meniscus tear were associated with increased odds of a high-grade pivot-shift test. Generalized ligamentous laxity (OR, 2.27; P < .001) and the presence of a medial (OR, 1.73; P= .001) or lateral (OR, 1.50; P= .010) meniscus tear were associated with increased odds of a high-grade anterior drawer test. Chronic ACL tears, generalized ligamentous laxity, and meniscus tears are associated with increased odds of high-grade laxity with all 3 tests. Female patients and age younger than 20years are associated with increased odds of a high-grade pivot-shift test. Level II, lesser-quality prospective study.

Outcome of Single-Bundle Hamstring Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using the Anteromedial Versus the Transtibial Technique: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

To compare the clinical outcomes of single-bundle hamstring anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction between the anteromedial (AM) and transtibial (TT) techniques. We performed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of the English-language literature in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases for articles that compared clinical outcomes of AM versus TT ACL reconstruction. The outcome measures analyzed included postoperative Lachman test, pivot-shift test, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), and Lysholm scores. We included 10 articles from an initial 308 abstracts for the systematic review and included 6 studies for the meta-analysis. The study population consisted of a total of 733 patients, of whom 366 (49.9%) underwent the AM technique and 367 (50.1%) underwent the TT technique for ACL reconstruction. For postoperative knee stability, the AM technique yielded superior results in terms of the proportion of negative Lachman test results (n = 243; odds ratio [OR], 2.98 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.29 to 6.88]) and proportion of negative pivot-shift test results (n = 238; OR, 3.67 [95% CI, 1.80 to 7.52]). For postoperative functional status, the AM technique yielded superior results in terms of objective IKDC grading (proportion with IKDC grade A) (n = 269; OR, 2.19 [95% CI, 1.23 to 3.88]) but had comparable Lysholm scores (n = 478; mean difference, 1.43 [95% CI, 0.01 to 2.84]). Single-bundle hamstring ACL reconstruction using the AM technique showed superior surgeon-recorded stability according to the IKDC knee score, Lachman test, and pivot-shift test. However, there was no difference in patient-reported functional outcome (Lysholm score). Level III, systematic review and meta-analysis of Level I, II, and III studies.

Twenty-Year Outcomes of a Longitudinal Prospective Evaluation of Isolated Endoscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Patellar Tendon Autografts

Background: Long-term prospective follow-up studies of single-incision endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are limited and may include confounding factors. Purpose: This longitudinal prospective study reports the outcomes of isolated ACL reconstruction using middle-third patellar tendon autografts in 90 patients over 20 years. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Between January 1993 and April 1994, a total of 90 patients met study inclusion criteria: evaluation at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 15, and 20 years after surgery. Exclusion criteria were associated ligamentous injuries requiring surgery, previous meniscectomy or meniscal injuries requiring more than one-third meniscectomy, chondral injuries, and an abnormal contralateral knee. Results: At 20 years, 32 (36%) patients had sustained another ACL injury: 8 (9%) to the index limb and 27 (30%) to the contralateral limb (3 injuring both knees). The mean International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score was 86. Of the patients, 50% participated in strenuous/very strenuous activities, and kneeling pain was present in 63%. Radiographic degenerative change was found in 61%; 20% had IKDC grade C, and 0% had grade D. The IKDC clinical examination revealed that 95% had a normal/nearly normal knee. Significant sex differences existed: when compared with male patients, female patients were less likely to reinjure the reconstructed ACL (18% vs 2%, respectively; P = .01), reported poorer IKDC subjective scores (90 vs 83, respectively; P = .03), had more activity-related pain (20% vs 57%, respectively; P = .02), and were less likely to participate in strenuous activities (66% vs 35%, respectively; P = .009). ACL graft survival was not related to age. Patients <18 years old had an increased odds ratio (3.2) for rupturing the contralateral ACL. A coronal graft angle <17° increased the risk of failure compared with an angle >17° (77% vs 96% survival, respectively) by a factor of 8.5. Conclusion: Injuries more commonly occurred in the contralateral ACL than in the reconstructed ACL graft, and the most significant predictor of a contralateral ACL injury was age <18 years. The most significant predictor of an ACL graft rupture was a coronal graft angle <17°. Female patients had lower rerupture rates, poorer subjective scores, and decreased participation in strenuous activities, putting the graft at a lower risk of failure. Kneeling pain remained persistent over 20 years. Radiographic osteoarthritis was evident in 61% of patients, but symptomatic osteoarthritic symptoms were rarely reported.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tibial Avulsion treated with Open Reduction and Internal Fixation through the Burks and Schaffer Approach.

Objective: To report functional outcome in Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) tibial avulsion fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation through Burks and Schaffer approach. The patient specific functional outcome measures like IKDC grading together with objective grading with stress radiographs have rarely been used -to assess PCL tibial avulsion fractures.Material and Methods: Twenty seven patients (21 males and 6 females) were included in the study. The mean follow up duration was 22.30±6.82 months. They were assessed using international knee documentation committee (IKDC) grades, Lysholm scoring and stress radiography. The injury severity scores (ISS) of the patients were also recorded.Results: The mean Lysholm scores at the time of last follow up was 90.85±5.58. The IKDC grades achieved were normal in 20 patients, near normal in five and abnormal in two. The PCL laxity determined on active hamstring contraction stress radiography was grade I in 20 cases and grade II in seven cases. All patients had achieved bony union of tibial avulsion fractures at the time of last follow up. Statistically significant association was found between higher ISS and lower Lysholm scores. (t=3.455, p=0.0019). Good IKDC grades were associated with higher Lysholm scores (analysis of variance, F=32.51, p<.0001). There was no correlation between PCL laxity and functional outcome (t=.857, p = 0.399).Conclusion: PCL tibial avulsion fractures treated through Burk and Schaffer approach with open reduction and internal fixation produces good results. The early rehabilitation without cast immobilisation prevents arthrofibrosis.

Anatomic Placement of the Femoral Tunnels in Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Correlates With Improved Graft Maturation and Clinical Outcomes

To compare maturation of reconstructed graft on second-look arthroscopy and clinical outcomes between 2 groups: the provisional anatomic (PA) group, with both the anteromedial (AM) and posterolateral (PL) femoral tunnels in their anatomic location, and the nonanatomic (NA) group, with either 1 of the 2femoral tunnels beyond its anatomic location after double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. We enrolled 154 patients who underwent 3-dimensional computed tomography scanning and second-look arthroscopy after double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. All of the patients were divided into the PA and NA groups according to the femoral tunnel position determined by the quadrant method. Graft maturation was evaluated with 3 subsections, including integrity, tension, and synovial coverage with revascularization, on second-look arthroscopy. We also compared Lachman test, pivot-shift test, KT-2000 (MEDmetric, San Diego, CA), and International Knee Documentation Committee grades at the last follow-up. Of the 154 patients, 88 were classified as the PA group and 66 as the NA group by the quadrant method. A difference existed between groups for the AM tunnel position but not for the PL tunnel position. The PA group showed a higher graft maturation score (P < .001 for all comparisons) and better results according to the International Knee Documentation Committee knee rating, Lachman test, pivot-shift test, and KT-2000 assessment (P < .001 for all comparisons). The PA group with anatomic femoral tunnel placement showed a higher graft maturation score on second-look arthroscopy, along with better clinical outcomes, than the NA group. There was a significant difference in the AM femoral tunnel position but not in the PL tunnel position between the 2 groups. Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Anatomical Single-bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using a Freehand Transtibial Technique.

PurposeIn anatomical single-bundle (SB) anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, the traditional transtibial approach can limit anatomical placement of the femoral tunnel.Surgical TechniqueWe present a novel three-point freehand technique that allows for anatomic SB ACL reconstruction with the transtibial technique.Materials and MethodsBetween January 2012 and December 2012, 55 ACL reconstructions were performed using the three-point freehand technique. All the patients were followed for a minimum of 12 months post-operatively. Clinical evaluation was done using the Lysholm score and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) grade. All patients were analyzed by 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) at 1 week after surgery.ResultsThe mean Lysholm score improved from 68.2±12.7 points preoperatively to 89.2±8.2 points at final follow-up. At final follow-up, the IKDC grade was normal in 42 patients and nearly normal in 13 patients. None of the patients had a positive pivot shift test, anterior drawer test and Lachman test at final follow-up. The anatomical position of the femoral tunnel was confirmed on 3D CT scans.ConclusionsThe three-point freehand technique for SB transtibial ACL reconstruction is a simple, anatomic technique showing good clinical results.