Comparative study of arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] reconstruction with mini arthrotomy

This study is based on 49 patients with chronic anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] deficiency who had ACL reconstruction using free patellar tendon graft. Its main objective was to compare the results of ACL reconstruction done by arthroscopy and with that done by mini arthrotomy. Patients were 37 males and 12 females; their average age was 25 years [range 17 to 37 years]. 1 female had bilateral ACL reconstruction. The patients were divided into two groups: Group /: had undergone the arthroscopic procedure and Group II: had mini arthrotomy. Our results showed that mini arthrotomy patients [Group I], as compared to Group II, had longer hospital stay, had delay in resuming sport activity and had longer sick leave; however, there was no significant difference in the final outcome between both procedures. This, in addition to the high cost and fragility of arthroscopic material led us to recommend mini arthrotomy as the procedure of choice for ACL reconstruction