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Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the functional and clinical results of patients who underwent ACL reconstruction surgery and were divided into subpopulations related to ACL-associated lesions and focused on ALL-associated lesion. Methods: Our retrospective analysis included 62 patients who underwent standard ACL reconstruction surgery in our hospital from 2014 to 2016. The mean follow-up period was 21 months (range 11–35). We divided the sample into two subpopulations due to the presence or absence of ALL tear at the preoperative MRI. In 42 patients out of 62 (68%), ALL lesion was evident. We evaluated in both subpopulations the ACL failure rate, the functional outcomes rated with IKDC, KOOS, Lysholm scores and the clinical assessment of anteroposterior and rotatory instability with the Lachman test and pivot-shift test. Results: The overall re-injury rate in our cohort of patients was 4.8% with a smaller but not a significant difference between the two groups. A statistically significant difference was observed for the three functional scores, favoring the isolated ACL-lesion group (p < 0.05). Similarly, a better Lachman score was observed in the isolated ACL-lesion group, without statistical significance (p = 0.77); overall, the rate of positive test was lower in the isolated ACL-lesion group. We observed a significant difference of residual rotatory instability (positive pivot-shift test) in the two subpopulations (p = 0.036), and 9% of patients in the ACL + ALL lesion group showed residual jerk or subluxation. Conclusion: The additional ALL reconstruction/repair surgery should always be considered in patients with evident ALL tear at the preoperative MRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The choice of graft type in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction remains a subject of controversy. The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes in ACL reconstructions performed using a four-strand hamstring tendon graft (4SHG) or a LARS ligament comparing the effectiveness of the two grafts at a medium follow-up of 8 years.Methods: This retrospective, single-centre, single surgeon study evaluated the clinical, functional and radiographic outcomes in 50 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction (25 4SHG and 25 LARS). Patients who underwent surgery after more than 6 months from injury and showed radiographically visible degenerative changes at time of surgery were excluded from the study.Results: None of the patients underwent re-surgery in the same knee. The range of motion of the operated knee, compared to the contralateral, was good for both groups. The anterior drawer test resulted negative in 21 patients (84%) in the LARS group and eight patients (32%) in the 4SHG group (P = 0.039). The Lachman test was negative in 19 patients (76%) in the LARS group and in 11 patients (44%) in the 4SHG group (P = 0.045). Although other results of ACL reconstruction measured by Lysholm scores, IKDC evaluation, Tegner scores and radiographic images showed using a LARS graft tended to be superior to using a 4SHG, there were no statistically significant differences calculated.Conclusion: Our results suggest that 4 years after ACL reconstruction using a LARS ligament or 4SHG dramatically improves the function outcome, while the patients in the LARS group displayed a higher knee stability than those in the 4SHG group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic ligament for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has been widely used in the past. Long-term follow-up has demonstrated the unreliability of many of these devices in ACL surgery, and problems may arise for the surgeon approaching a patient with failed artificial ligament reconstruction. The aim of this study is to investigate whether revision surgery may improve clinical and radiographic outcomes in patients with failed synthetic ACL reconstruction. Fourteen patients who were treated in the past with ACL reconstruction with synthetic grafts underwent two-stage revision surgery. Follow-up averaged 4.2 years (range 2-6 years). Mean KOOS score was 75.8 (SD 10.2); IKDC score was B in two patients, C in nine and D in three. The improvement compared to preoperative status was not statistically significant ( p > 0.05). Four patients were positive to Lachman and anterior drawer tests. Mean side-to-side anterior laxity averaged 4.3 mm (SD 1.2). Biopsy specimens documented the presence of foreign body granulomatous reaction, giant foreign body cells and polyethylene wear particles. The level of osteoarthritis worsened at follow-up compared to preoperative status ( p < 0.05). ACL revision surgery with autografts in patients who underwent previous failed primary synthetic ligament reconstruction does not improve clinical outcomes and does not influence the natural history of knee osteoarthritis started from artificial ligament debris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was designed to evaluate the outcome with and without repair of the AITFL by comparing two similar groups of patients with Weber B-type (Lauge-Hansen SE) fractures who were treated with similar operative methods except that the AITFL was not explored or either repaired in one group. Materials and methods: A total of 288 patients with Lauge-Hansen SE4 ankle fractures were eligible for this study. In group 1 ( n = 165), the AITFL was explored and the ruptured ligament sutured or the avulsion fracture fixed at the original insertion. In group 2 ( n = 123), a similar operative method was used, but the AITFL was not explored. The postoperative medial tibiotalar clear space (TTCS) and congruence of the tibiotalar joint were measured and analyzed. The clinical outcome was measured using the Olerud-Molander (OM) scoring system with a minimum follow-up of 2 years for both groups. Results: No significant difference was found between these two treatment protocols using the postoperative TTCS, talar tilt, or OM functional score. Conclusion: Our results suggest that exploration of the AITFL may not be needed in Weber B-type ankle fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]