A COMPARISON OF RESULTS IN ACUTE AND CHRONIC ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RUPTURES OF ARTHROSCOPICALLY ASSISTED AUTOGENOUS PATELLAR TENDON RECONSTRUCTION

We conducted a prospective study of 94 consecutive patients who receiv ed a patellar tendon autograft for anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Eighty-seven patients (93%) returned for followup a mean of 28 months postoperatively; 57 had chronic and 30 had acute or subacute ruptures , There were no significant differences between the subgroups for age, sex, articular cartilage lesions, or months of followup. Forty-six me niscal tears were repaired; 27 of these extended into the central avas cular region. Rehabilitation emphasized immediate knee motion, but str enuous activity was delayed for at least 4 months. Only one patient ha d a knee motion complication, and stability (3 mm, KT-2000 arthrometer , 134 N) was restored in 85% of knees with chronic ruptures and 92% of knees with acute ruptures. Earlier reconstruction should be considere d in active persons as symptoms and limitations continued postoperativ ely in knees with chronic ruptures, leading to overall less satisfacto ry results. In patient rating of the overall knee condition, 69% of kn ees with chronic ruptures and 100% of knees with acute ruptures scored in the normal or very good range. Repair of meniscal tears that exten d into the central avascular region should be considered, as 24 of the 27 (89%) menisci repaired showed clinical evidence of healing and did not require reoperation.