Cruciate ligament prosthesis vs. augmentation. A randomized, prospective 5-year follow-up of 41 cases

In a prospective study, 18 patients were randomized to a prosthesis and 23 patients to the Kennedy Ligament Augmentation Device (LAD) because of functional instability due to old anterior cruciate ligament injuries. The operations were performed with use of a modified over-the-top technique. At the last follow-up (5 years), postoperative improvements in scores were maintained for both groups, but LAD-reconstructed patients had better Lysholm and activity scores than the Goretex group. The achieved postoperative improvement in anterior stability (KT-1000) did not deteriorate for either of the groups during the 5-year follow-up. The Goretex patients had more effusion and pain and more secondary operations.