Incidence of osteoarthritis after anatomical anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the presence of osteoarthritis in the long-term outcomes of patients treated for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear with anatomical reconstruction. Our secondary aim was to evaluate whether there is a difference in the development of knee osteoarthritis between patients with anatomical ACL reconstruction and patients with non-anatomical ACL surgery. A total of 44 individuals, including 35 individuals between the ages of 18 and 64 who underwent anatomic ACL reconstruction surgery 13 ± 8 years ago, and 9 individuals who underwent ACL treatment with non-anatomical methods, were included in our study. A group of 9 people (Anatomik 1) who underwent matched anatomical ACL reconstruction last year over surgery was formed with the group that underwent non-anatomical surgery. Paired groups were compared among themselves. Kellgren-Lawrence score on X-ray, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain intensity, Tegner Activity Score for determination of activity level and Knee Community Score for knee functionality were used to determine the presence of osteoarthritis in the cases. Operated and non-operated knee extensor and flexor muscle strengths were determined by isokinetic muscle strength measurement. Osteoarthritis findings were found in 65.9% of individuals who underwent anatomic ACL reconstruction. In the comparison between surgical methods, patients who underwent non-anatomical surgery had lower VAS and higher Knee Society Score. There was no significant difference between the degrees of osteoarthritis. While the reconstructed knee isokinetic strength results of all patients were lower than the knee strength in the other extremity, the extensor muscle deficit 60°/s Work measurements of the transtibial group and group undergoing matched anatomical ACL reconstruction over surgery in the last year (Anatomic 1) group were higher in the comparison between the groups. As a result, it was seen that anatomical ACL reconstruction did not prevent the formation of postoperative osteoarthritis and there was no significant difference between the degrees of osteoarthritis, although the patients who underwent surgery with the non-anatomical method felt less pain and had higher Knee Society Score results. Key Words: Osteoarthritis, Anterior cruciate ligament, Reconstruction