A PROSPECTIVE STUDY COMPARING THE TWO YEAR OUTCOME OF ACL RECONSTRUCTION BY PATELLA TENDON AND SEMITENDINOSUS TENDON

Introduction Reconstruction of the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) allows the patient to resume sporting activity and improves objective knee function scores. We have undertaken a prospective study to describe the results of ACL reconstruction over two years, comparing patella tendon versus semitendinosus tendon autograft reconstruction. Methods Sixty-eight patients with documented ACL injury were followed-up prospectively for an average of 27 months post surgery. The patients underwent ACL reconstruction either using the quadruple strand semitendinosus/gracilis graft or the central one third ‘bone-patella-tendon’ bone autograft. The study cohort included a total of 34 patients reconstructed with patella tendon autograft and 34 patients reconstructed with semitendinosus autografts. The choice of procedure was based on surgeon preference. All patients were assessed pre-operatively, at three months, six months and 24 months post-operatively using the IKDC knee score, Biodex dynamometer and KT-1000 instrumented test for ligament laxity. Results Thirty-two patients were evaluated at 24 months. Our study population consists of 32 patients (17 patients with patella tendon reconstruction and 15 patients with semitendinosus reconstruction). All the patients had laxity to anterior translation by KT-1000 arthrometry pre-operatively. An IKDC score of good or excellent was obtained in one percent of patients. Both groups had significant post-operative improvements in knee laxity to anterior translation and IKDC score at p Conclusions Reconstruction of the ACL is associated with significantly better outcome at two years. Semitendinosus graft reconstruction is not associated with significantly improved knee score and laxity, but has less donor-site morbidity.