A Prospective Observational Study on Short-Term Functional Outcome of Arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair of Proximal Tears Using Knotless Single Suture Anchor Technique

PURPOSE

To assess the clinical outcomes in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) proximal tears undergoing arthroscopic primary repair with knotless single suture anchor technique.

METHODS

The first twenty-two consecutive patients with proximal ACL tears (Sherman types I and II and high-grade partial tears) treated with arthroscopic primary repair with single suture anchor technique were evaluated until 6 months post-operatively. Patients were evaluated with validated functional outcome measures (IKDC and Lysholm scores) and clinical tests for ACL stability.

RESULTS

At 6-month follow-up, 91% of patients (n = 20) achieved excellent outcome measures for IKDC and Lysholm scores and had complete stability of the ACL to clinical testing. Two patients with poor outcomes at six weeks; one with subjective instability and the other underwent revision surgery represented a failure rate of 9%. The median Lysholm score was 96 (IQ range, 96-100) and median IKDC subjective score was 87.40 (IQ range, 78.20-88.50) at 6-month follow-up. The improvement in Lysholm and IKDC scores over a period of six months post-operatively was statistically significant when compared to preoperative scores (p ≪ 0.0001). Maximum improvement in clinical outcomes is achieved in the first 6 weeks post-surgery with a slower increase thereafter, a time interval which may be considered as a figurative yield point for future work in this field.

CONCLUSION

Arthroscopic ACL primary repair with knotless single suture anchor technique provides excellent short-term clinical outcomes in a carefully selected subset of patients with proximal ACL tears. More powered and longer duration studies are needed to understand longer term outcomes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, therapeutic case series.