ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To compare the clinical stability and function of two femoral fixation methods after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using fresh-frozen tibialis tendon allograft. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For femoral fixation, endopearl and bioabsorbable interference screw were used in 31 patients (group I) and RIGIDfix(R), in 36 patients (group II). The mean follow-up period was 30 months. The evaluations included Lysholm knee score, 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee score, Lachman test, pivot shift test, KT-1000 arthrometer measurement and 2000 IKDC knee examination. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients (90.3%) in group I and 33 (91.7%) in group II were good or excellent according to the Lysholm score. Twenty-seven patients (87.1%) in group I and 33 (91.7%) in group II had IKDC subjective knee score >70. Thirty patients (96.8%) in group I and 35 (97.2)% in group II had 1+firm end or negative Lachman test. Twenty-seven patients (87.1%) in group I and 35 (97.2%) in group II had a negative pivot shift. Thirty patients (96.8%) in group I and 36 (100%) in group II had <5 mm of difference according to the KT-1000 arthrometer. Twenty-nine patients (93.5%) in group I and 34 (94.4%) in group II were normal or nearly normal according to the 2000 IKDC knee examination. CONCLUSION: ACL reconstruction with fresh-frozen tibialis tendon allograft produced a reliable and predictable outcome after the short-term follow-up. The two methods used for femoral fixation produced similar outcomes.