Septic Arthritis After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Clinical and Functional Outcomes Based on Graft...

There remains a debate over whether to retain the index anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft in the setting of septic arthritis.

To evaluate and compare clinical outcomes for the treatment of septic arthritis after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) in those with and without early graft retention.

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

The Military Health System was queried for all ACLR procedures performed between 2007 and 2013. Inclusion criteria required active military status, primary ACLR with secondary septic arthritis, and minimum 24-month surveillance. Demographic, clinical, and surgical variables were evaluated using descriptive statistics and regression analysis for factors influencing selected outcomes.

Of 9511 ACLR procedures, 31 (0.32%) were identified as having secondary septic arthritis requiring urgent arthroscopic irrigation and debridement and intravenous antibiotics (mean, 6.3 weeks). The majority (62%) were treated in the subacute (2 weeks to 2 months) setting. Index ACLR was performed with a hamstring autograft (n = 17, 55%), soft tissue allograft (n = 11, 35%), and patellar tendon autograft (n = 3, 10%). The graft was retained in 71% (n = 22) of patients, while 29% (n = 9) underwent early graft debridement. At a mean 26.9-month follow-up, 48% of patients (n = 15) had returned to the military. Graft removal was not predictive of return to active duty (P = .29). The presence of postoperative complications, including symptomatic postinfection arthritis (22.6%) and arthrofibrosis (9.7%), was the only variable predictive of inability to return to duty (odds ratio, 27.5 [95% CI, 3.24-233.47]; P = .002). Seven of 9 patients who underwent graft debridement underwent revision ACLR, and all 7 had stable knees at final follow-up compared with 68% (15/22) in the graft retention group.

Arthroscopic debridement with early graft removal and staged revision ACLR remains a viable option for restoring knee stability (100%), although the rate of return to active duty was low in the graft resection group (33%). The risk of knee laxity did not differ based on early graft retention. Time to presentation with graft retention was not associated with a decreased rate of graft laxity.