Early arthroscopic evaluation of acute repair of the anterior cruciate ligament

Follow-up arthroscopy was performed in 71 patients who had undergone primary repair of an acute rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after 6–19 months. An augmented repair was done on 61 patients and 10 patients had a nonaugmented repair. Based on the arthroscopic findings, the ACL repair was classified into three categories. Four years after the injury a clinical reexamination, including a laxity test using instrumentation and a standard knee-function test, was done on 66 patients. Arthroscopy revealed that 64 of the 71 patients (90%) had a defined ACL repair, although the repair was elongated in 37 patients. Seven patients with a nonfunctioning ACL repair had inferior knee function after 4 years. Arthroscopy also showed superficial cartilage lesions in 24 patients and meniscal pathology in 6 patients. Two patients with more advanced chondral lesions had inferior knee function. Treatment of meniscal injuries did not affect the long-term results.