[Gonarthrosis after injury of the anterior cruciate ligament: a multicenter, long-term study]

In order to estimate incidence, severity and associated factors in the development of the degenerative arthritis of the knee following a cruciate ligament injury, a multicenter, longterm follow-up study was undertaken. The time interval between injury and follow-up exam was a minimum of 15 years (range 15-52 years). Extensive physical examination and radiographic analyses from four "Knee Centers" (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York; Orthopädische Klinik, Bruderholz; Orthopaedic and Arthritic Hospital, Toronto; Orthopaedic Department Wichita, Kansas) on 328 patients revealed that the best correlation to the degree of osteoarthritis could be found to the time of meniscectomy. All other operations (suture of cruciate ligament, intraarticular or extraarticular reconstruction) showed much less correlation to the severity of the degenerative arthritis found at the follow-up exam.

Preservation of as much meniscus tissue as possible at the time of injury seems to be the best warranty for slowing down degenerative arthritis after cruciate ligament injury.