[Arthroscopic and clinical evaluation after isolated, augmented anterior cruciate ligament replacement. A prospective...

80 patients were examined in to perform a prospective essay on the isolated substitute of the anterior crucial ligament being done by Miniarthrotomie and two channel technique. All patients received a substitute of the anterior cruciate ligament by using an autogenous, TETRA-L3 augmentated bone tendon bone graft from the middle third of the patellar ligament of the injured knee. Clinical and arthroscopical examination was carried out in the average 28 months (24-36) after crucial ligament reconstruction, by the routinely removal of the augmentation and fixation material. Clinical examination was carried out using the strict and objective IKDC-Score. The arthroscopical evaluation of the ACL-graft was performed with our recently developed Score for ACL-graft evaluation (Marburger Arthroscopy Score for graft evaluation). The Score distinguishes between four stages: type I: tight, crucial ligament like structured graft, type II: a firm, more bundle like structured graft, type III: a lax, untidy structured graft and type IV: the rudimentary graft. A statistical analysis was performed on the question whether there is a correlation between the clinical and the arthroscopical results. Furthermore, with the Marbuger Arthroscopy Score for graft Evaluation we introduced a standardised, simple-to-use new score for the arthroscopical ACL-graft evaluation. We find a high correlation (r = 0.77) between the clinical results and the arthroscopical findings, so that from clinical evaluation there might be draw conclusion to the arthroscopical expective results with high probability. Due to our previous experience we assume the Marburger Arthroscopy Score For Graft Evaluation to be a standardised and simple assessment method for the evaluation of the ACL-graft, considering pathobiomechanical influences on the ACL-substitute.