[Clinical, radiological and arthroscopic analysis of the ACL tear. A prospective study of 418 cases]

This prospective multicentric study concerns 418 anterior cruciate ligament tears. It correlates the arthroscopic data's and the clinical and radiological data's. Four types of anterior cruciate ligament tears were identified. Complete tears, postero lateral bundle preserved, healing on the posterior cruciate ligament and healing in the notch. The statistical correlations had shown a highest laxity in the complete tear group with a highest rate of soft Lachman and gross pivot shift, a highest incidence of medial meniscus tears was also noted and a longer delay between injury and surgery, 24 months for the complete tear group and seven months for the postero lateral bundle group. The mean medial compartment laxity, side to side, in the postero lateral bundle group was 4.93 mm and 7.93 mm in the complete tear group. These data could help the surgeon in his surgical planning especially in case of partial tears.