THE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF INTRAOPERATIVE KT-1000 ARTHROMETER MEASUREMENTS IN SINGLE INCISION ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION

We reviewed 28 patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament recon struction with immediate, 1-, 2-, and 3-year postreconstruction KT-100 0 manual maximum testing. Arthrometer measurements were correlated wit h functional knee criteria to evaluate the ability of the KT-1000 to p redict postreconstruction functional results. Despite a range of immed iate postreconstruction arthrometer injured-minus-normal (I - N) diffe rences, there was no association with I - N difference at last follow- up. Patients followed-up for 1 year were not different from those who were followed-up for longer with respect to intraoperative or 1-year I - N difference or functional performance scores. Furthermore, excelle nt functional knee scores were the norm at all stages of follow-up des pite a wide range of arthrometric laxity changes. The results suggest that functional knee criteria, although partially subjective, are more useful indicators of outcome than intrareconstruction and postreconst ruction arthrometric measures.