Bone-patellar tendon-bone reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament- A long-term comparison of early and late repair

Ninety-one patients were assessed 5-9 years after an anterior cruciate liga ment reconstruction (bone patella-tendon bone autograft). Forty-eight patie nts had been treated within 6 weeks of the injury (Group I) and 43 patients more than 3 months after the injury (Group II). 73 patients had either a n ormal or nearly normal final outcome. The mean Lysholm score was 82 and the mean Marshall score was 42. Eighty nine patients, had normal or nearly nor mal stability in the operated knee when compared to the contralateral joint . In none of these re:suits was there any significant difference between th e groups. Results of functional and of isokinetic strength tests, as well a s the presence of anterior knee pain, were also similar in both groups. How ever, patients with early reconstruction had fewer degenerative changes in the ti-bio-femoral joint and were more satisfied with the result. They also returned to their pre-injury level of sports activity more often than thos e patients in the late reconstruction group.