Radiological maturation and clinical results of double-bundle and single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. A 5-year prospective case-controlled trial

Correlation between higher lateral tibial slope and inferior long term subjective outcomes following single bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

BACKGROUND

The impact of anatomical factors, such as the lateral tibial slope (LTS), on outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is an area of growing interest. This study was led by the observation that patients with a higher LTS may have different recovery trajectories.

HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between a higher LTS and long term subjective outcomes following single-bundle ACL reconstruction.

STUDY DESIGN

This study was designed as a retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

The study comprised 138 patients who underwent single-bundle ACL reconstruction. The LTS was measured on preoperative radiographs. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected, which included the Lysholm Knee Score, UCLA Activity Score, IKDC Score, and Tegner Activity Score, over a mean follow-up duration of 137 months.

RESULTS

A significant negative correlation was found between LTS and all measured PROMs (p < 0.001). The established cut-off value of LTS distinguishing between "Good" and "Fair" Lysholm scores was 8.35 degrees. Female patients have statistically significant higher LTS and lower PROMs scores than male. Patients with LTS greater than or equal to 8.35 had significantly lower PROMs, indicative of poorer functional and subjective outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that a higher LTS is associated with inferior subjective outcomes following single-bundle ACL reconstruction in long term. The LTS cut-off value of 8.35 degrees could potentially be used as a reference in preoperative planning and patient counseling.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Understanding the relationship between LTS and ACL reconstruction outcomes could inform surgical planning and postoperative management. These findings highlight the need to consider anatomical variances, such as LTS, when assessing patient-specific risks and recovery expectations, contributing to the advancement of personalized care in sports medicine.

One-stage anterior cruciate ligament revision surgery after primary failed double-bundle reconstruction: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) revision surgery after failed double-bundle (DB) reconstruction is a challenging procedure. This study aimed to systematically review the research on ACL revision surgery following failed DB reconstruction, providing an overview on indications, surgical techniques, clinical outcomes and potential pitfalls occurring while performing this therapeutic approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Literature published from exception to February 2023 was searched in the Pubmed/MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL databases. Studies in English reporting on patients who underwent ACL revision surgery after prior failed DB reconstruction were considered. Review articles and expert opinion or editorial pieces were excluded. Outcomes of interest included indications and pre-operative planning, surgical technique and associated procedures, type of revision surgery (either one- or two-stage), graft choice, clinical and functional outcomes, rate of complications, failure rate.

RESULTS

Overall, 4 studies met all the inclusion criteria for this review. All were published between 2007 and 2020. The search resulted in two retrospective comparative studies, one case series, and one case report. Average follow-up periods ranged from 24 to 45 months. From these studies, 66 patients (66 knees) were identified. One-stage revision surgery was performed in 64 on 66 patients (97%) with pathologic laxity following DB ACL reconstruction. Most frequently reported outcome was Lysholm score in five studies: average postoperative Lysholm score ranged from 90.5 to 91.0 while Tegner activity level ranged from 5.6 to 7.0. In 4 patients (6%) re-revision surgery was performed due to graft re-rupture.

CONCLUSIONS

One-stage ACL revision surgery following DB ACL reconstruction appears feasible providing satisfying outcomes and limited complications. The literature on this subject is limited and further comparative studies reporting long-term outcomes are needed, as high-level studies on this topic are still lacking.

Effect of Soft Tissue Interposition and Postoperative Suspensory Cortical Button Migration on Functional Outcomes and Ligamentization After Single-Bundle ACL Reconstruction

Background:

Soft tissue interposition between a suspensory cortical button and the lateral femoral condyle is the most common cause of postoperative suspensory cortical button migration in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

Purpose:

To investigate the effects of soft tissue interposition and suspensory cortical button migration after ACLR on functional outcomes and graft ligamentization.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Included were 249 patients who underwent single-bundle ACLR with hamstring tendon autografts. To measure soft tissue imposition, the patients were divided into 2 groups: those in whom the suspensory cortical button was in contact with (group 1) or at least 1 mm away from (group 2) the lateral femoral condyle on 1-day postoperative radiographs. To measure suspensory cortical button migration, the patients in group 2 were further divided into 2 subgroups: those with button migration (group M) and those without migration (group non-M) as observed on 12-month postoperative radiographs. Ligamentization was evaluated according to Howell classification (grades 1-4) on 12-month follow-up magnetic resonance imaging scans. Also recorded were preoperative and 24-month postoperative Lysholm and Tegner scores and 24-month postoperative arthrometer measurements for anterior knee laxity.

Results:

There was no significant difference between groups 1 and 2 or between groups M and non-M in terms of demographic characteristics or additional intra-articular pathologies detected intraoperatively. Normal anterior laxity (<3 mm) was detected in 83.7% of the patients postoperatively, and all patients showed statistically significant pre- to postoperative improvement on the Tegner (from 4.1 to 4.3) and Lysholm (from 44.0 to 89.2) scores (P < .05 for both). No significant difference in postoperative functional results or graft ligamentization was found between either the soft tissue interposition groups (groups 1 and 2) or the suspensory cortical button migration groups (groups M and non-M).

Conclusion:

Differences between patients in soft tissue interposition and suspensory cortical button migration did not significantly affect postoperative clinical or functional outcomes or graft ligamentization after single-bundle ACLR.