ASSESSMENT OF ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LAXITY USING THE GENUCOM-SYSTEM

One hundred subjects with normal knees and 47 patients with chronic ru pture of the anterior cruciate ligament were tested in the Genucom Kne e Analysis System; the 13 different laxity tests were carried out on b oth knees. Measurements on right and left knees in normal subjects sho wed that only the lateral pivot shift test, performed at 25 degrees of knee flexion, had a good side-to-side correlation, but did not differ entiate the involved and uninvolved knees in the patients with anterio r cruciate ligament deficiency. The sensitivity of the lateral pivot s hift was 30% and specificity 91%. The corresponding figures for the an terior drawer test at 30 degrees flexion using 93 N force were 45% and 88%. Measurements showed great variation. Care should be taken in int erpreting the results from the Genucom System. It should be considered as an experimental device with little value in assessing patients wit h anterior cruciate ligament deficiency.