Lateral substitution for chronic isolated anterior cruciate ligament deficiency
Frank, C.; Jackson, R.W.
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British Volume 70(3): 407-411
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-620X PMID: 3372561 Document Number: 312618
Thirty-five patients who had been surgically treated for major symptomatic isolated chronic anterior cruciate ligament deficiency by lateral extra-articular reconstruction alone were reviewed at an average of five years after operation. Seventy-seven per cent of patients reviewed were improved subjectively, and 83% of pateints who were examined had objective evidence of only minor instability or none at follow-up. However, only a few patients had "normal" knees and many continued to have minor symptoms of instability with some restriction of activity. Most of the unsatisfactory results were in patients with significant chondral pathology at the time of reconstruction. While an extra-articular pivot-shift repair did not correct all the symptoms and signs completely, most patients were improved subjectively and objectively, and there were few complications.