Influence of Meniscal and Chondral Lesions on Patient-Reported Outcomes After Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction at 2-Year Follow-up
PMID: 29468171
Reports have shown that 30% to 60% of those with ACL tears also demonstrate either meniscal or chondral injuries at the time of their ACL reconstruction surgery. Although these lesions concurrent with ACL tears have been associated with more rapid progression of osteoarthritis, their effects have not entirely been characterized. Given how this information may be important for surgical planning and patient expectation management, this study evaluates the effect of concurrent meniscal tears and subsequent treatment on patient outcomes following ACL reconstruction.
Using data from 151 eligible patients, it was found that the presence of cartilage injury at the time of surgery was associated with lower patient reported scores for osteoarthritis at an average of 3.2 years following ACL reconstruction. Furthermore, patellofemoral chondral lesions resulted in lower postoperative scores compared to patients with tibiofemoral chondral lesions. Alternatively, concurrent meniscal injuries were found to not lead to lower postoperative scores following ACL reconstruction. Overall, patients with ACL tears achieved improved functional scores at a mean 3.2 years following ACL reconstruction, that was not affected by concurrent meniscal lesions but worsened with chondral lesions.
