Paper #69 Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. A prospective randomized study of patellar and hamstring tendon autografts

Abstract

We prospectively compared the outcome of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using patellar tendon autograft with outcome using hamstring tendon autograft. Ninety-nine patients with laxity due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament underwent arthroscopically assisted reconstruction with graft randomization according to birth year. Excluding preoperative Lysholm score there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in preoperative and operative data. A standard rehabilitation regimen was used for all patients including immediate mobilization without a knee brace, protected weight bearing for 2 weeks, and return to full activity at 6 to 12 months postoperatively.Forty-three patients in the patellar tendon group and 46 patients in the hamstring tendon group were available for clinical evaluation at a minimum of 21 months after surgery (range 21 to 38 months). The results revealed no statistically significant differences with respect to clinical and instrumented laxity testing, International Knee Documentation Committee ratings, isokinetic muscle torque measurements, Lysholm (knee score), Tegner (activity level) and Kujala patellofemoral knee score. The patellar and hamstring tendon autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions showed equal results 2 years after surgery. Both techniques seem to improve patients’ performance. We prospectively compared the outcome of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using patellar tendon autograft with outcome using hamstring tendon autograft. Ninety-nine patients with laxity due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament underwent arthroscopically assisted reconstruction with graft randomization according to birth year. Excluding preoperative Lysholm score there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in preoperative and operative data. A standard rehabilitation regimen was used for all patients including immediate mobilization without a knee brace, protected weight bearing for 2 weeks, and return to full activity at 6 to 12 months postoperatively. Forty-three patients in the patellar tendon group and 46 patients in the hamstring tendon group were available for clinical evaluation at a minimum of 21 months after surgery (range 21 to 38 months). The results revealed no statistically significant differences with respect to clinical and instrumented laxity testing, International Knee Documentation Committee ratings, isokinetic muscle torque measurements, Lysholm (knee score), Tegner (activity level) and Kujala patellofemoral knee score. The patellar and hamstring tendon autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions showed equal results 2 years after surgery. Both techniques seem to improve patients’ performance.