Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using an anterior cruciate ligament stump

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury always leads to knee pain and dysfunction for which surgical reconstruction is recommended, with good clinical results, but decreased postoperative proprioception also tends to occur. ACL stump (ACLS)-retaining ACL reconstruction and non-ACLS-retaining ACL reconstruction are the two surgical options.

To investigate the efficacy of retaining the ACLS in allograft reconstruction.

Thirty patients were retrospectively assigned to group A, ACLS-retaining ACL reconstruction; and group B, non-ACLS-retaining ACL reconstruction, and their data were analyzed. The knee function (Lysholm score and Tegner motion score) and proprioceptive function of the two groups were assessed and compared by postoperative reconstruction angle.

The 30 patients were followed up for a mean 20 months. The mean Lysholm score in group A increased from 55.7 ±11.6 points preoperatively to 95.2 ±5.7 points postoperatively; that in group B increased from 56.7 ±11.3 points preoperatively to 94.6 ±7.2 points postoperatively. The mean Tegner motion score in group A was increased from 2.4 ±0.7 points preoperatively to 6.0 ±0.7 points postoperatively; that in group B increased from 2.73 ±0.96 points preoperatively to 6.24 ±0.48 points postoperatively; the postoperative scores did not differ significantly between the two groups. The proprioception was better in group A than in group B at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively (p < 0.05).

ACLS-retaining ACL reconstruction has good efficacy and the retained ACLS can benefit postoperative proprioception recovery at an early stage.