Prospective evaluation of arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Patellar tendon versus semitendinosus and gracilis tendons

Abstract

Eighty consecutive patients with chronic laxity due to a torn ACL underwent arthroscopically assisted recon struction with either autogenous patellar tendon or doubled semitendinosus and gracilis tendons. Recon structions were performed on a one-to-one alternating basis. Preoperatively, no significant differences be tween the two groups were noted with respect to age, sex, level of activity, and degree of laxity (chi square analysis). A standard rehabilitation regimen was used for all patients after surgery including immediate pas sive knee extension, early stationary cycling, protected weightbearing for 6 weeks, avoidance of resisted ter minal knee extension until 6 months, and return to activity at 10 to 12 months postoperatively. Seventy-two patients were evaluated at a minimum of 24 months postoperatively (range, 24 to 40 months). No significant differences were noted between groups with respect to subjective complaints, functional level, or objective laxity evaluation, including KT-1000 meas urements. Seventeen of 72 patients (24%) experienced anterior knee pain after ACL reconstruction. Overall, 46 of 72 patients (64%) returned to their preinjury level of activity. Mean KT-1000 scores were 1.6 ± 1.4 mm for the patellar tendon group and 1.9 ± 1.3 mm for the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons group. This study did find a statistically significant weakness in peak hamstrings torque at 60 deg/sec when recon struction was performed with double-looped semiten dinosus and gracilis tendons.