ACL reconstruction using mid-third patellar tendon autograft: modified technique, subjective and objective evaluation

ABSTRACT

Between February 1998 and January 2002, 119 patients suffering from chronic knee instability due to ACL injury were operated upon. The average follow up period was 28 months [range 14-47 months]. At the final follow up, the overall International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC] evaluation results showed that 93.3% of the patients were graded as normal or nearly normal [grade A or B], 5% as abnormal [grade C], whereas 1.7% as severely abnormal [grade D]. According to Tegner activity level, the median score was 7. Applying the Lysholm score, 44.5% of the patients were scored as excellent, 51.3% were scored as good, 4.2% were scored as fair, while no patients were scored as poor. 96% of the patients showed a full range of knee motion. 18.5% of the patients complained of mild donor site morbidity, which was not significantly disabling. The rate of associated meniscal injury was 46.3%