Good results with low failure rate and high patients' satisfaction after selective bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction for partial tears at average 14-years follow-up.

Abstract

Aim of this study was to report the long-term outcomes of a cohort of patients treated with a selective bundle ACL reconstruction of a partial tear evaluating functional results as well as failure and satisfaction rates. The hypothesis was that good clinical results, high satisfaction and low failure rates could be obtained. Patients treated with selective bundle ACL reconstruction between September 2008 and September 2011 were included. Functional assessment was performed with the objective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) ligament evaluation form, the Lysholm knee scale and the Tegner activity level scale. Fifty-two patients were available for follow up. The average follow-up period was 14 years (13-16). Twenty-two had anteromedial bundle tears and 30 had posterolateral bundle tears. On average, a significant improvement was obtained from pre-surgery to last follow-up for Lysholm (pre-surg 64.1 ± 5.1; last follow-up 95.8 ± 6.2; p < 0.001) and subjective IKDC (pre-surg 56.5 ± 7.5; last-follow-up 91.6 ± 9.8; p < 0.001) scores. 3 patients underwent ACL revision surgery in the first-year post-surgery and 3 patients reported subjective instability accounting for a cumulative failure rate of 11.5% (6/52) and 7.7% of dissatisfied patients (4/52). Selective bundle ACL reconstruction for partial ACL tears enable good to excellent results with high satisfaction (92.3%) and low revision rates (5.7%) at long-term follow-up (minimum 13 years, mean 14 years).