The Result of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction over 40 Years Old of Age

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study was to examine treatment outcome after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in patients older than 40 years of age and determine the factors affecting the outcome. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Clinical results obtained from 60 cases from 60 patients older than 40 years of age at the time of surgery and 58 cases from 58 patients younger than 40 years of age who underwent ACL reconstruction between August 1988 to January 2002, return to sports activity, and stress radiographs using Telos instrument were compared. RESULTS: The Lysholm knee score was improved from the preoperative score of 54.0 points to the postoperative score of 92.9 in patients older than 40 years of age and was improved from 56.2 points to 92.2 points in patients younger than 40 years of age. Clinical outcome was excellent in 51 cases (85%) and good in 9 cases (15%) in patients older than 40 years of age and was excellent in 47 cases (81.0%) and good in 11 cases (19.0%) in patients younger than 40 years of age. The rate of returning to preoperative sports activity was high in 36 cases (60%) in patients older than 40 years of age and 48 cases (82.8%) in patients younger than 40 years of age. According to Telos stress radiography, the preoperative difference of 11.2 mm was decreased to the postoperative difference of 3.1 mm in patients older than 40 years of age and the preoperative difference of 10.7 mm was decreased to the postoperative difference of 2.9 mm in patients younger than 40 years of age. Clinical outcome did not show significant correlation with age, gender, surgery method, the presence of additional injury, and the rate of return to sports activity before receiving injury(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Age was not a factor interfering with the outcome of surgery for ACL injury, and satisfactory outcome could be obtained with ACL reconstruction even in patients older than 40 years of age.