[Analysis of influence factor for the failure of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction]

To investigate the influence of gender, age, activity level, and diameter of graft on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Between February 2012 and June 2017, 179 cases (111 males and 68 females) with an average age of 30.0 years (range, 11-63 years) were included in study. The patients underwent internal fixator removal at 2 years or more after single bundle ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendon autografts. All patients were sports injuries. The time from injury to operation ranged from 3 days to 26 years (median, 120 days). Lachman test and pivot shift test were positive. Univariate analysis was conducted on gender, age, post-operative activity level (Tegner score at the time of internal fixator removal), diameter of graft, and number of graft strands, and logistic regression was used to conduct multivariate analysis to screen the independent risk factors.

All patients were followed up 24-90 months (mean, 29.1 months). At last follow-up, Lachman test was positive in 25 cases and pivot shift test was positive in 28 cases. The KT-2000 side-to-side difference was -1-7 mm (mean, 1.89 mm). Eleven patients (6.15%) failed after ACL reconstruction. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the age, gender, post-operative activity level, diameter of graft, and number of graft strands were not risk factors for the failure of ACL reconstruction (P>0.05).

There was no significant difference in the risk for ACL reconstruction failure among age, gender, and activity level. ACL reconstruction failure rate cannot be reduced by increasing the number of graft strands to increase the diameter of grafts.