POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT ALLOGRAFT RECONSTRUCTION WITH AND WITHOUTA LIGAMENT AUGMENTATION DEVICE

Twenty-five patients with posterior cruciate ligament ruptures were tr eated with either allograft reconstruction alone (10 patients) or with an allograft-ligament augmentation device composite (15 patients). At follow-up (mean 45 months) the results were assessed with the Cincinn ati Knee Rating System. There were no significant differences between the two groups for symptoms, functional limitations, sports activity l evels, or the overall rating score. The ligament augmentation device p rovided no benefit. In both groups, the allograft and the allograft co mposite restored posterior stability at lower functional knee flexion angles, but not uniformly at higher flexion angles (70-degrees). Patie nts with acute ruptures faired significantly better than did those wit h chronic ruptures because they had lower anterior-posterior displacem ents and fewer symptoms and functional limitations. We recommend consi deration of early arthroscopic posterior cruciate ligament reconstruct ion for acute ruptures in active patients. An immediate knee motion pr ogram was not deleterious to graft fixation and is recommended.